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Zero-Emission Trucks Set To Make New Zealand A World Leader In Hydrogen Energy
Trucks and fuel points from Hiringa Energy and Hyzon Motors will make New Zealand a world leader in hydrogen-powered zero-emissions shipping.
Science & Tech
The roads of New Zealand will soon be worked over by long-distance trucks powered entirely by ultra-sustainable hydrogen-powered electric fuel cells.
Capable of traveling 310 miles (500 kilometers) on one tank, these special fuel cells use hydrogen stored on board and oxygen from the atmosphere to generate electricity and power the car. Since H + O = H2O, the only emission of any kind coming out of the tailpipe is water.
The news comes as Kiwi company Hiringa and Hyzon Motors—a U.S. manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cells—signed a “heads of agreement” that would allow Hiringa’s hydrogen-powered electric vehicles (HPEVs) to start hauling freight as early as 2022, positioning New Zealand as a world leader in hydrogen vehicle infrastructure.
Between late 2020 and 2026, Hiringa expects to roll out 1,500 different HPEVs varying in size from van-shaped to 18-wheelers to road-train models for the Australian market.
The company also expects to outfit the North and South Islands of the Pacific nation with the world’s most sophisticated hydrogen refueling network, slated to come online in 2021.