International logistics large DHL is serving Diageo North America – the makers of Captain Morgan rum – with a brand new deployment of hydrogen powered Nikola semi vans and a standalone hydrogen fueling station.
DHL has established itself as a frontrunner in zero-emission trucking with BEV terminal truck initiatives going all the way in which again to 2015, when the delivery firm put its first Orange EV yard canine to work at Diageo’s Plainfield, Illinois, terminal. As such, you is perhaps stunned to study that DHL is choosing a hydrogen-powered Nikola as a substitute of the pure electrical model.
For his or her half, the Nikola/Diageo press launch performs up the “EV” a part of “FCEV” in an effort to persuade readers that their hydrogen vans are simply as “inexperienced” as EVs – which longtime readers of Electrek, in fact, understand is nonsense.
That mentioned, DHL doesn’t need you to suppose by way of hydrogen vs. battery right here. As a substitute, the alternate options are diesel, CNG, or hydrogen. And, on this explicit utility – heavy haul, simply 350-400 mile routes all through the Nice Lakes area, and restricted charging out there for giant vans exterior of California – the hydrogen vans would possibly supply a big emissions discount in comparison with diesel, and that’s what the DHL pilot hopes to find.
“As a worldwide logistics firm with the objective of decarbonizing its enterprise, we’ve built-in sustainability as a fourth strategic backside line named ‘Inexperienced Logistics of Alternative’ in our newly introduced Technique 2030,” explains Jim Monkmeyer, President of Transportation, DHL Provide Chain. “The deployment of those gas cell electrical autos is one in all many initiatives that demonstrates how we’re placing motion behind our phrases.”
Along with providing a 500+ mile vary on a full (slow-fill) tank, the Nikola vans supply vital enhancements in driver consolation and ADAS effectiveness by decreasing the noise and vibration present in diesel and CNG vans, which reduces driver fatigue and enhances the power of the cameras and sensors to obviously see the highway forward.
“We’re extraordinarily excited to be part of this partnership delivering the primary set of industrial quality hydrogen vans to Illinois, residence to our largest manufacturing hub in North America,” mentioned Marsha McIntosh, President of North America Provide at Diageo. “This initiative is a part of our continued work to decarbonize our footprint in Plainfield, Illinois making our operations extra environment friendly and sustainable.”
Electrek’s Take
When the CEO of a serious heavy truck model tells you hydrogen isn’t inexperienced and doesn’t prevent any cash, you understand there are huge incentive {dollars} at play – and that’s OK. The US authorities has sponsored fossil fuels to the tune of tens trillions of {dollars} over the previous couple of a long time (orders of magnitude greater than EVs, in truth), so the relative pennies on the greenback they’re spending on hydrogen and BEVs looks like honest play.
Whether or not or not this explicit hydrogen pilot program will make sufficient sense for DHL and Diageo to proceed with the HFCEVs going ahead, nevertheless, stays to be seen.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Diageo, through Nikola.
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