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Alexander Dennis Ltd demos fuel cell tech in double-decker bus
NEWS
Alexander Dennis Ltd demos fuel cell tech in double-decker bus
S
cottish-based bus builder Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) has demonstrated hydrogen fuel cell technology in an Enviro400 double-decker bus, which delivered best-in-class performance in recent route shadowing trials. ADL has been working on a hydrogen fuel cell powered double-decker bus [see also the item above] for more than two years. The demonstration vehicle is based on the marketleading Enviro400 bus, and has been developed through extensive collaboration between ADL’s in-house Advanced Engineering teams and Arcola Energy, the London-based hydrogen and fuel cell system integrator. The fuel cell powered Enviro400 has an electric driveline with axle-mounted motors. The onboard battery is charged by the fuel cell, with no external battery charging required. The prototype bus has been through several design iterations, to optimise performance and ensure the highest standards of regulatory and safety compliance. The prototype has successfully completed route shadowing trials in several UK cities, delivering what is believed to be the highest energy efficiency – and therefore the lowest fuel cost – in its class. Operators supporting the route shadowing trials have commented positively on the performance achieved. ADL is now taking orders for this vehicle, and will be working with cities, bus operators, and other stakeholders around the UK to further explore the potential for hydrogen fuel cell buses through fleet trials. It will be sold with full aftermarket support, and benefit from local hydrogen and fuel cell expertise from the company’s partners.
Alexander Dennis Ltd: www.alexander-dennis.com Arcola Energy: www.arcolaenergy.com
The prototype Nikola Tre truck will be displayed at the Nikola World event in Phoenix, Arizona in April 2019 [see the Events Calendar on page 20], along with other new zero-emission products from Nikola including the production-intent Nikola Two semi-trailer truck [FCB, September 2018, p12]. The Nikola Tre has a power rating of 500–1000 bhp (375–750 kW), in 6×4 or 6×2 drivetrain configurations, and a range of 500–1200 km (310– 750 miles) depending on options. The Tre will fit within the current truck size and length restrictions for Europe. European testing is projected to begin in Norway around 2020. Nikola is also in the preliminary planning stages to identify the location for its European manufacturing facility. ‘It will be the first European zero-emission commercial truck to be delivered with redundant braking, redundant steering, redundant 800 Vdc batteries, and a redundant 120 kW hydrogen fuel cell, all necessary for true Level 5 autonomy,’ says Trevor Milton, Founder and CEO of Nikola Motor Company. ‘Expect our production to begin around the same time as our USA version in 2022–2023.’ Nikola says that in the first five days after the Tre was announced, it logged more than $380 million in orders for the Nikola Tre, and is now in discussions with some of the biggest fleets and brands in Europe. The company says it now has a total of $12 billion in pre-orders for its range of hydrogen-electric trucks [e.g. May 2018, p4]. Nikola is working with Oslo-based Nel ASA [see also page 10] to provide hydrogen refueling stations for the US [July 2018, p9]. Nikola plans to have more than 700 hydrogen stations across the US and Canada by 2028, each capable of producing 2000–8000 kg/day of hydrogen. Nikola’s European stations are planned to come online around 2022, and are projected to cover most of the European market by 2030. In other news, Nikola reports that its C round of financing continues to be oversubscribed, raising an additional $105 million in November [September 2018, p12]. Nikola Motor Company: www.nikolamotor.com Nikola Tre: www.nikolamotor.com/tre
Nikola launches Tre MOBILE APPLICATIONS hydrogen-electric truck for European market Carrefour showcases hydrogen station, fuel S-based Nikola Motor Company has created a hydrogen-electric U cell forklift fleet at new truck specifically for the European market, in response to widespread French logistics centre interest from European customers. The company is already taking reservations for the Nikola Tre (‘Three’ in Norwegian) commercial truck. 4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
F
rench retail giant Carrefour officially opened its new supply chain distribution centre in Vendin-le-Vieil, in
northeastern France, in late November. Carrefour has deployed 137 Plug Power GenDrive-powered electric forklifts for two- and three-shift operation at this facility, utilising hydrogen refueling technology from Air Liquide. Carrefour operates one of the world’s largest hypermarket chains. The Vendin-le-Vieil facility – a critical element in Carrefour’s national logistics network – receives, stores, and distributes merchandise for stores in the region. The warehouse is now home to the largest fleet of hydrogen powered forklifts in Europe, with 137 fuel cell forklifts in service [FCB, July 2016, p1]. The use of Plug Power’s GenDrive PEM fuel cell product provides increased efficiency and reliability for its STILL lift truck fleet, while reducing the carbon footprint [see the Plug Power feature in December 2011]. Since the summer Air Liquide [see also pages 2, 8, 10, and 11] has supplied and operated a hydrogen refueling station for forklift trucks at the logistics base. The company has installed a station containing three hydrogen dispensers located at different strategic areas across the site. This allows each of the 137 forklifts to be refueled in only three minutes, with a fillup lasting an average of 8 hours. This installation was co-financed by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) as part of the HyLIFT-Europe project. HyLIFT-Europe is coordinated by German sustainable energy consultancy Ludwig-BölkowSystemtechnik GmbH (LBST), working with Air Liquide in France, lift truck provider STILL GmbH in Germany, the European Hydrogen Association (EHA) and Italian Federation of Scientific and Technical Associations (FAST), and Prelocentre SNC, another French logistics operator [July 2013, p2]. Prelocentre is operating the first European all-hydrogen logistics platform in SaintCyr-en-Val, near Orléans, equipped with forklifts powered by Plug Power fuel cells and refueled by an Air Liquide hydrogen station [July 2016, p8]. The use of hydrogen fuel cell powered materials handling vehicles is already widespread in North America, with more than 20 000 forklifts in service in the US and Canada [see the In Brief item on page 15]. Air Liquide says that it is refueling 270 of the approximately 300 forklifts in service in Europe. Plug Power: www.plugpower.com Air Liquide, Hydrogen Energy: http://tinyurl.com/hydrogen-energy-airliquide HyLIFT-Europe: www.hylift-europe.eu Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking: www.fch.europa.eu Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik: www.lbst.de/index_e.html STILL GmbH, Fuel Cell Technology: https://tinyurl.com/STILL-fctech
December 2018
Alexander Dennis Ltd demos fuel cell tech in double-decker bus
S
cottish-based bus builder Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) has demonstrated hydrogen fuel cell technology in an Enviro400 double-decker bus, which delivered best-in-class performance in recent route shadowing trials. ADL has been working on a hydrogen fuel cell powered double-decker bus [see also the item above] for more than two years. The demonstration vehicle is based on the marketleading Enviro400 bus, and has been developed through extensive collaboration between ADL’s in-house Advanced Engineering teams and Arcola Energy, the London-based hydrogen and fuel cell system integrator. The fuel cell powered Enviro400 has an electric driveline with axle-mounted motors. The onboard battery is charged by the fuel cell, with no external battery charging required. The prototype bus has been through several design iterations, to optimise performance and ensure the highest standards of regulatory and safety compliance. The prototype has successfully completed route shadowing trials in several UK cities, delivering what is believed to be the highest energy efficiency – and therefore the lowest fuel cost – in its class. Operators supporting the route shadowing trials have commented positively on the performance achieved. ADL is now taking orders for this vehicle, and will be working with cities, bus operators, and other stakeholders around the UK to further explore the potential for hydrogen fuel cell buses through fleet trials. It will be sold with full aftermarket support, and benefit from local hydrogen and fuel cell expertise from the company’s partners.
Alexander Dennis Ltd: www.alexander-dennis.com Arcola Energy: www.arcolaenergy.com
The prototype Nikola Tre truck will be displayed at the Nikola World event in Phoenix, Arizona in April 2019 [see the Events Calendar on page 20], along with other new zero-emission products from Nikola including the production-intent Nikola Two semi-trailer truck [FCB, September 2018, p12]. The Nikola Tre has a power rating of 500–1000 bhp (375–750 kW), in 6×4 or 6×2 drivetrain configurations, and a range of 500–1200 km (310– 750 miles) depending on options. The Tre will fit within the current truck size and length restrictions for Europe. European testing is projected to begin in Norway around 2020. Nikola is also in the preliminary planning stages to identify the location for its European manufacturing facility. ‘It will be the first European zero-emission commercial truck to be delivered with redundant braking, redundant steering, redundant 800 Vdc batteries, and a redundant 120 kW hydrogen fuel cell, all necessary for true Level 5 autonomy,’ says Trevor Milton, Founder and CEO of Nikola Motor Company. ‘Expect our production to begin around the same time as our USA version in 2022–2023.’ Nikola says that in the first five days after the Tre was announced, it logged more than $380 million in orders for the Nikola Tre, and is now in discussions with some of the biggest fleets and brands in Europe. The company says it now has a total of $12 billion in pre-orders for its range of hydrogen-electric trucks [e.g. May 2018, p4]. Nikola is working with Oslo-based Nel ASA [see also page 10] to provide hydrogen refueling stations for the US [July 2018, p9]. Nikola plans to have more than 700 hydrogen stations across the US and Canada by 2028, each capable of producing 2000–8000 kg/day of hydrogen. Nikola’s European stations are planned to come online around 2022, and are projected to cover most of the European market by 2030. In other news, Nikola reports that its C round of financing continues to be oversubscribed, raising an additional $105 million in November [September 2018, p12]. Nikola Motor Company: www.nikolamotor.com Nikola Tre: www.nikolamotor.com/tre
Nikola launches Tre MOBILE APPLICATIONS hydrogen-electric truck for European market Carrefour showcases hydrogen station, fuel S-based Nikola Motor Company has created a hydrogen-electric U cell forklift fleet at new truck specifically for the European market, in response to widespread French logistics centre interest from European customers. The company is already taking reservations for the Nikola Tre (‘Three’ in Norwegian) commercial truck. 4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
F
rench retail giant Carrefour officially opened its new supply chain distribution centre in Vendin-le-Vieil, in
northeastern France, in late November. Carrefour has deployed 137 Plug Power GenDrive-powered electric forklifts for two- and three-shift operation at this facility, utilising hydrogen refueling technology from Air Liquide. Carrefour operates one of the world’s largest hypermarket chains. The Vendin-le-Vieil facility – a critical element in Carrefour’s national logistics network – receives, stores, and distributes merchandise for stores in the region. The warehouse is now home to the largest fleet of hydrogen powered forklifts in Europe, with 137 fuel cell forklifts in service [FCB, July 2016, p1]. The use of Plug Power’s GenDrive PEM fuel cell product provides increased efficiency and reliability for its STILL lift truck fleet, while reducing the carbon footprint [see the Plug Power feature in December 2011]. Since the summer Air Liquide [see also pages 2, 8, 10, and 11] has supplied and operated a hydrogen refueling station for forklift trucks at the logistics base. The company has installed a station containing three hydrogen dispensers located at different strategic areas across the site. This allows each of the 137 forklifts to be refueled in only three minutes, with a fillup lasting an average of 8 hours. This installation was co-financed by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) as part of the HyLIFT-Europe project. HyLIFT-Europe is coordinated by German sustainable energy consultancy Ludwig-BölkowSystemtechnik GmbH (LBST), working with Air Liquide in France, lift truck provider STILL GmbH in Germany, the European Hydrogen Association (EHA) and Italian Federation of Scientific and Technical Associations (FAST), and Prelocentre SNC, another French logistics operator [July 2013, p2]. Prelocentre is operating the first European all-hydrogen logistics platform in SaintCyr-en-Val, near Orléans, equipped with forklifts powered by Plug Power fuel cells and refueled by an Air Liquide hydrogen station [July 2016, p8]. The use of hydrogen fuel cell powered materials handling vehicles is already widespread in North America, with more than 20 000 forklifts in service in the US and Canada [see the In Brief item on page 15]. Air Liquide says that it is refueling 270 of the approximately 300 forklifts in service in Europe. Plug Power: www.plugpower.com Air Liquide, Hydrogen Energy: http://tinyurl.com/hydrogen-energy-airliquide HyLIFT-Europe: www.hylift-europe.eu Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking: www.fch.europa.eu Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik: www.lbst.de/index_e.html STILL GmbH, Fuel Cell Technology: https://tinyurl.com/STILL-fctech
December 2018