Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) is based in Glasgow, Scotland, and the company has just unveiled what it claims is a future of hydrogen-powered long-haul transport. The vehicle has been designed in-house and it offers industry leading solutions when it comes to aerodynamics, powertrain and ergonomics. HVS is a fairly young company, founded only in 2017 in Glasgow, its main focus is design and development of hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles. The team behind the first vehicle is made up of industry specialists with experience in automotive engineering and design, hydrogen technology, power electronics, sustainability and environment management.
What’s interesting about the new truck -
apart from its innovative drivetrain - is the fact that it comes with a defined
route to market. The company went to lengths to secure partnerships with
strategic suppliers and one of them is EG Group specializing in hydrogen
refueling infrastructure. When the truck eventually becomes operational, the
fueling stations and fleet customer bases will be ready. The tractor unit
presented by HVS is built on a brand new chassis designed around the in-house
developed hydrogen powertrain. The system driving the truck is made up of
pressurized hydrogen tanks, fuel cells, batteries and eAxle - a rear axle with
built-in electric motor.
Having the freedom of designing a truck
from scratch without any constraints from internal combustion engine and all of
the ancillary equipment that comes with it, meant the design team was given a
chance to create an aerodynamically friendly vehicle. It’s a tall order when it
comes to trucks. The results are rather interesting, the cab has much easier
access, there is more room inside and ergonomics are vastly improved. The
efficiency of the truck is hugely improved as well and the truck itself looks
quite good.
The powertrain uses pressurized hydrogen
to power the fuel cells which in turn produce electricity which is stored in
batteries in order to power the rear axle. There is an F1 connection here as
well - the truck uses KERS to recover energy while it's braking or slowing down
- technology first introduced in F1 back in 2009. According to the company, the
hydrogen fuel cells allow the truck longer range and higher load capacity and
faster refueling than a comparable electric truck powered by lithium-ion
batteries. It means lower running costs as well but when compared to diesel
powered trucks, the costs apparently are similar.
HVS argues that refueling times and range
are far more important for haulage companies and it makes sense in an
environment where every minute counts. But the battery powered trucks are
cheaper than diesel or hydrogen to run and if the companies can make more money
or waste less money - it’s going to be a tough race. Hydrogen may feel more
“natural” - refueling a car or a truck is similar, it takes almost the same
time. In many cases the refueling infrastructure is easier to install than the
DC charging stations - especially for heavy duty vehicles.
HVS hopes it has all the answers for the
haulage industry, emission restrictions are coming, bans on fossil fuel powered
vehicles are already in place and the industry needs to shift and needs to do
it quickly. Zero-emissions vehicles that don’t need huge adjustments for the
fleet managers and drivers alike will win this race.
