Hydrogen costs could decrease over time as a result of greater implementation of hydrogen combustion engines in commercial trucking, Phinia President and CEO Brady Ericson told Clean Trucking at the 2024 IAA Transportation exhibition in Hannover, Germany.
"Hydrogen combustion engines and the related technology will probably drive down the average cost of hydrogen," Ericson said. "The fact we don't need pure hydrogen [in combustion engines] that fuel cells need [is extremely beneficial]. So now the hydrogen can be trucked easier and stored without a lot of requirements. That will be a big contributor to bringing down the cost of hydrogen, which is going to improve the total cost of ownership."
Hydrogen can be used to power a combustion engine because there's an absence of carbon; no CO2 is produced. Phinia, already an industry leader in fuel and electrical systems and a variety of aftermarket parts, brought a hydrogen combustion-powered test van to the show as proof of the technology's capabilities.
Powered by a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine converted to hydrogen direct injection, Phinia claims a towing capacity of around 6,600 lbs. and a range of up to 310 miles. This fuel system supports low-, medium-, and high-pressure hydrogen applications and can be installed in vehicles ranging from two-wheelers to heavy trucks. It also meets Euro 7 emission standards.
"We've currently got a demo engine running for a 17-liter engine in a large mining vehicle," Ericson pointed out. "It's very well-suited for applications that are high loads, have a continuous operating cycle, and working in an aggressive operating environment."
A 10,000-pound monster truck, powered by a 8.4-liter Chevrolet engine and cleverly named "Jurassic Attack," was converted late last year to hydrogen combustion by Throttle Monster Truck with Phinia's system. With around 1,000 horsepower on tap, the truck is now eco friendly.
Ericson clarified that Phinia does not produce the actual hydrogen tanks, meaning customers have to source their own via a number of providers.
Phinia's hydrogen fuel system supports low-, medium-, and high-pressure hydrogen applications and can be installed in vehicles ranging from two-wheelers to heavy trucks.Clean Trucking
"I think hydrogen combustion is going to be around for a long time. I think it makes a lot of sense," Ericson added. "The engine manufacturing plants and the technicians that know how to service them are already in place. One of the challenges with fuel cell is that nobody knows how to maintain them right now."
But not all government agencies are on board with the technology. The California Air Resources Board (CARB), for example, is not in favor of hydrogen combustion as a replacement for gasoline and diesel because it still emits CO2. Ericson was quick to point out a critical piece of information CARB is ignoring.
"If you were to drive the [test vehicle we brought to this show] for over a kilometer, it would put out 0.5 grams of CO2. Now, you just sitting in the vehicle would put out 1 gram of CO2 by exhaling."
Ericson also has a message for regulators, specifically those in the US.
"Do we want to dogmatically stick to some academic zero goal [for zero tailpipe emissions] or, you can take a step now that gets you 99 percent carbon reduction and do it right away? Which would you choose? If you're looking at this in a practical and pragmatic sense, I'd rather get some benefits now."
