In collaboration with General Motors (GM) and OneH2, Navistar Inc. has introduced a complete solution for customer implementation of a zero-emission long-haul system, which will be initially piloted by J.B. Hunt Transport Inc.
“Hydrogen fuel cells offer great promise for heavy-duty trucks in applications requiring a higher density of energy, fast refueling and additional range,” says Persio Lisboa, president and CEO of Navistar. “We are excited to provide customers with added flexibility through a new hydrogen truck ecosystem that combines our vehicles with the hydrogen fuel cell technology of GM and the modular, mobile and scalable hydrogen production and fueling capabilities of OneH2.”
Navistar plans to make its first production model International RH Series fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) commercially available in model year 2024. Test vehicles are expected to begin the pilot phase under the new, complete solution at the end of 2022. The integrated solution will be competitive with other powertrain offerings with a target range of 500+ miles and a hydrogen fueling time of fewer than 15 minutes.
The International RH Series FCEV will get its energy from two GM Hydrotec fuel cell power cubes. Each Hydrotec power cube contains 300-plus hydrogen fuel cells along with thermal and power management systems. They are compact and easy to package into many different applications.
The combined propulsion system within the FCEV will feature better power density for short-range travel, better short-burst kW output and a per-mile cost expected to be comparable to diesel in certain market segments.
Under its partnership agreement with Navistar says OneH2 will supply its hydrogen fueling solution, which includes hydrogen production, storage, delivery and safety. In addition, Navistar is taking a minority stake in OneH2. Through its affiliates, OneH2 plans to incorporate more than 2,000 International RH Series FCEVs into existing truck fleets in the near term.
For additional information on the hydrogen truck ecosystem, click here.