Hydrogen trucks, HVS unveils 40 ton vehicle prototype at CV Show. Range up to 600 km
HVS, a newcomer in the field of hydrogen trucks, unveiled today at CV Show in Birmingham its very first hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck, with 40 ton GVW, range up to 600 km and 20 minutes refueling time. HVS’ tractor units will be built on an all-new chassis, designed in-house around the hydrogen powertrain, which consists of pressurised hydrogen cylinders, fuel cells, an energy storage system and electrified rear axle.
HVS, a newcomer in the field of hydrogen trucks, unveiled today at CV Show in Birmingham its very first hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck, with 40 ton GVW, range up to 600 km and 20 minutes refueling time. Founded in 2017, in Glasgow, HVS focuses on the ground-up design and development of zero-emission hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles. The company comprises industry specialists, with vast experience in the automotive, energy, hydrogen technology, power electronics, sustainability and environmental management fields.
HVS: the first manufacturer of hydrogen trucks in the UK
The company also has a defined route to market. In addition to funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre, Innovate UK, Scottish Enterprise and Energy Technology Partnership, HVS’ strategic investment partner is the service station and grocery corporation, EG Group, offering hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, fleet customer base and the potential for global scalability.
HVS’ tractor units will be built on an all-new chassis, designed in-house around the hydrogen powertrain, which consists of pressurised hydrogen cylinders, fuel cells, an energy storage system and electrified rear axle. HVS’ vehicle powertrain employs a fuel cell system and energy storage system to deploy electricity to an electric motor to transmit power to the wheels. It uses the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) to recapture energy under braking and while the truck is slowing down.
UK-based production facility
HVS envisages that it will open an R&D, engineering and pilot production facility alongside a permanent UK-based production facility. A workforce of circa 600 employees is predicted across all key disciplines, with many recruits coming from the automotive and aerospace industries. As for the vehicle, other variants of the hydrogen-fuelled 4×2 HGV tractor unit, including a left-hand drive variant, are also in the pipeline.
“We are delighted to reveal our 40-tonne HGV at the Commercial Vehicle Show”, stated Jawad Khursheed, CEO of HVS. “This technology demonstrator showcases our ground-breaking hydrogen-electric commercial vehicle design and advanced powertrain technology. Our zero-emission trucks are a key part of decarbonising the logistics sector. Hydrogen is the perfect fuel for the haulage industry, offering long ranges and quick refuelling thanks to stations being easily integrated into existing key transport networks”.
