Ford announced last week that it has begun a research project looking at hydrogen as a potential power source for its E-Transit commercial trucks.
The three-year pilot project, based in the UK, will see if it can provide “enhanced zero-emissions driving range to E-Transit customers in high-use cases.” energy or not”. The wording of that seems to suggest that the test could use hydrogen as a range extender for a battery-powered truck, but the company has yet to clarify on the vehicle’s layout.
According to Ford, a test fleet of eight hydrogen fuel cell E-Transit trucks will run over a six-month period, with data looking at cost of ownership with enhanced range and uptime. which it says will be suitable for diesel-powered vans.
Ford’s hydrogen fuel cell-powered E-Transit test (UK)
The work, funded in part by the UK’s Center for Advanced Propulsion, will essentially see if the technology is suitable for Ford’s heaviest commercial trucks.
While battery-powered electric trucks could make sense for last mile delivery, Ford says that fuel cell technology could be useful for long hauls or heavy loads, or for cargo refrigeration needs or limited charging opportunities. The US Market E-Transitwith the 68 kWh battery pack, has an estimated EPA cycle range of 126 miles, assuming the van is running moderately but not fully charged.
The automaker points out that its research into fuel cell technology dates back to the 1990s. In the US it was one of the first companies to abandon its hydrogen program in the mid-2000s – not long after the unveiling of a fuel cell-powered Ford Explorer prototype in 2006 – amid a hydrogen boom that left some companies very optimistic about the technology until 2009 or so. Another such boom, partly driven by policy, may be on the way.
New fuel cell Ford Explorer and Escape Hybrid headed to LA
Although many automakers have basically said that The window of opportunity for fuel cell technology is over for light vehicles, some automakers see a future in it for heavy vehicles. For example, Toyota and Honda recently expanded plan to sell fuel cells to the US
In Europe, Ford says it is still involved in a number of hydrogen projects, including the use of hydrogen in an internal combustion engine vehicle.
