Westport Fuel Systems Inc., a company that specializes in alternative fuel, low-emissions transportation technologies, has released a joint publication with AVL, an independent company that specializes in the development, simulation and testing of powertrain systems, entitled “Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Analysis for Heavy-Duty Hydrogen Fueled Powertrains.”
The analysis presents the case for hydrogen (H2) use in an internal combustion engine (ICE) with Westport Fuel Systems’ patented HPDI 2.0 fuel system as the most cost-competitive near-term pathway to reduce CO2 emissions to near-zero from on-road long-haul transportation. The paper undertakes a comprehensive TCO analysis, applying inputs from Westport Fuel Systems HPDI hydrogen (H2-HPDI) simulations and HPDI 2.0 operating costs with AVL’s existing TCO models for diesel and fuel cell powertrains.
“Our analysis shows that a high-efficiency hydrogen ICE powertrain can outperform fuel cell electric vehicles in terms of TCO,” says David Johnson, CEO of Westport Fuel Systems. “This is possible because H2-HPDI leverages powertrain systems in high volume production today while achieving near fuel cell-like efficiency in heavy-duty applications. Fleets will appreciate a product that meets the same performance characteristics of today’s conventional diesel trucks without the product development risk and costs associated with fuel cells. HPDI 2.0 is already used by large fleets today, reducing CO2 by 23% with fossil LNG, and delivering net-zero carbon emissions when used with bioLNG.”
Hydrogen plays a role in the decarbonizing of a wide range of carbon-emitting activities. It has the adaptability to operate cleanly across the transport, heat, industry and electricity sectors – which together account for around two-thirds of global carbon dioxide emissions.
