New guidance report on hydrogen fuel cells for trucks highlights opportunities

In Indiana, North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and RMI have released a new Guidance Report, Hydrogen Trucks: Long Haul’s Future?

The report focuses on using hydrogen-based powertrains for heavy-duty Class 8 long-haul freight routes pulling van trailers. These powertrains include a range of fuel cell battery electric types and internal combustion engines (ICE) based on the diesel cycle.

This report is based on two previous NACFE reports — Viable Class 7/8 Electric, Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Tractors and Making Sense of Heavy-Duty Hydrogen Fuel Cell Tractors — which compared a range of alternative fuel heavy-duty truck technologies including hydrogen.

The report looks at what NACFE got right in its original reports, as well as what it got wrong. The report also provides insight on what has changed since NACFE first reported on hydrogen in 2020. It explores changes in the molecular fuel industry as well as providing information on various agreements and regulations that are spurring the development as hydrogen as a fuel source in heavy-duty trucking.