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News - Commercial Motor
September 26, 2023
In its path to bring the UK’s first hydrogen HGV to market, Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) has marked a development milestone. X1.5 is the company’s first test mule that will begin whole vehicle testing this autumn. The prototype is fitted with the same hydrogen fuel cell that will be used in the production HGV.
The first stages of testing will be to check functionality and systems development which includes dyno-rig testing. This is a key phase to calibrate the vehicle before HVS can start track testing. X1.5 is the first of several planned test mules to thoroughly test the vehicle before it can enter production.
John McKenna, chief technical officer at HVS, said: “The team and I are thrilled that the X1.5 engineering prototype has arrived at our test facility, and we can now begin the vital development phase of testing the hydrogen fuel-cell technology on the dyno-rig. Maximising the performance of the fuel cell is a key step ahead of beginning on-track testing and bringing this exciting new HGV to market.”
HVS’ zero-emissions HGV plans to offer a solution for the heaviest, long-haul trucks that are currently the hardest sector of the transport industry to decarbonise. With its 40-tonne 4x2 tractor unit HVS is targeting a range of 370 miles or 600km and also plans to offer a left-hand drive version.
Although HGVs make up 1.5 percent of all vehicles on the road, they produce 19 percent of total emissions in this area. A hydrogen fuel cell HGV from HVS will emit 693ml of water per kilometre as the only by-product of the vehicle’s powertrain. By 2030, HVS anticipates replacing diesel vehicles with hydrogen HGVs in the UK could reduce CO2 and NOx emissions by more than the annual emissions of Heathrow airport.
