As part of a project (H2 Central Valley Express), the fuel cell manufacturer is presenting a hydrogen-powered truck whose performance is on a par with that of a 15-litre diesel truck. It will be on display at the ACT Expo in Las Vegas.

Based on a Freightliner Cascadia Class 8 road tractor, the diesel engine has been replaced by a powerful fuel cell powertrain designed for intensive use. This is the 400 kW Symbio StackPack system, made up of four field-proven sub-systems (with over 8 million kilometres covered). It is also equipped with a control strategy to provide greater energy efficiency and higher power than a combustion-engined truck. With a tank storing 70 kg of hydrogen on board, this fuel cell HGV is capable of travelling over 450 miles (700 km).

The truck was developed in collaboration with Michelin ( a co-shareholder of Symbio), which supplied tyres specially adapted for electric vehicles, offering energy savings and reduced wear. Towards the end of 2024, the truck will drive for 12 months on a challenging 400-mile (650 km) route between the Inland Empire and north of California’s San Joaquin Valley.

Rob Del Core, General Manager of Symbio North America said: “This fuel cell truck development and demonstration constitute a major strategic step forward for Symbio in the United States, as we are developing and solidifying our US sales and manufacturing footprint.”

To learn more about Symbio, you can check out our related articles here!

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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Mariem Ben Tili