Fuel cell specialist Loop Energy sees bright future for hydrogen trucks and announced new customers

According to Canadian fuel cell specialist Loop Energy, hydrogen trucks will be successful in the next years. The company also announced two new collaborations with system integrators working in hydrogen-related applications in the commercial vehicle field. More into details, these customers are currently engaged in the development of medium-duty hydrogen-electric trucks. Loop Energy is currently supplying fuel cell stacks to Tevva, which has recently launched a 19-ton hydrogen truck model.

Loop Energy: who are the new customers working on hydrogen trucks

Opex/Hevolucion is a Colombian system integrator of batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. Avia Ingeniería is a Spanish electric powertrain provider and system integrator. Both companies are looking to trial hydrogen-electric vehicles in 2023. Having supplied components and infrastructure for battery-electric vehicles for more than a decade, Opex identified fuel cells as a solution for commercial vehicles in Latin America two years ago. Starting with a prototype, Opex aims to develop a logistics truck using Loop Energy’s S300 (30 kW) fuel cell as a range extender. Once built, the truck is expected to be trialed by a local fleet operator to evaluate how the technology can be deployed in larger truck applications.

Avia Ingeniería plans to also apply Loop Energy’s 30 kW fuel cell as a range extender in a tractor-trailer transport truck. The truck is a part of the ShineFleet project, which features various Spanish technology and engineering companies including Técnicas Reunidas. The aim of the pilot is to demonstrate the feasibility of hydrogen technology and educate fleet operators on how to scale a fleet. A logistics fleet operator is expected to integrate the truck into its service routes once it is operational in 2023.

“We’ve seen positive growth when it comes to using fuel cells in medium-duty electric trucks,” said Loop Energy Chief Commercial Officer, George Rubin. “Our team continues to identify manufacturers and fleet operators committed to the deployment of hydrogen-electric fleets worldwide. It is great to see Opex and Avia Ingeniería setting a positive example in their respective markets.”