Tag Archives: Michelin

Putting Hydrogen On the Road

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California wants carbon neutrality by 2045. This could help. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

Symbio is an interesting company that you’ve probably not heard of, interesting for two reasons:

  1. It is developing vehicles like hydrogen-powered trucks
  2. It is jointly owned by Forvia, Michelin and Stellantis. Forvia produces a number of products, from automotive interiors to containment cylinders for hydrogen. Michelin is heavily involved in developing green mobility solutions, such as low rolling-resistance tires. And Stellantis, of course, is in the business of vehicle manufacture.
Big rig. Zero emissions. (Image: Symbio)

Symbio has developed a Class 8 truck that is powered by hydrogen, a demonstrator vehicle called the “H2 Central Valley Express.”

The name of the vehicle relates to where the truck will operate in California: a route between the Inland Empire and Northern San Joaquin Valley in California.

The truck’s 400-kW StackPack fuel cell system is said to be comparable to a 15-liter diesel engine.

There is a 70-kg hydrogen tank onboard. It gives the truck a range of 450-miles.

And unlike a diesel, there are no emissions.

The truck will go into operation later this week on a 400-mile route. On the route there are four different operating conditions, such as urban, high-speed, and hill climb and descent. The demonstration period is to last 12 months.

This isn’t some sort of engineering undertaking: the truck will be in revenue service for Total Transportation Services.

Odds are that things like the Tesla Semi notwithstanding, when it comes to commercial freight operations hydrogen is going to be the way to go to zero emissions.

Good News on the Fuel Cell Front

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By Gary S. Vasilash

Although hydrogen fuel cell enthusiasts are probably saddened by Shell’s announcement that it is shutting off the valves at its hydrogen refueling stations in California, there was some good news this week—albeit not exactly for those who are driving Toyota Mirais or Honda Claritys in SoCal.

Extreme E, the off-road FIA-sanctioned racing series in which electric vehicles are run, is transitioning to Extreme H, which will swap out battery power for fuel cells next year.

So Extreme E becomes Extreme H.

Racing with hydrogen. (Image: Extreme E. Soon to be Extreme H)

But the good news is that the series and Symbio have announced that the latter will become the “Official Hydrogen Fuel Cell” provider to Extreme H.

Symbio?

It is a Europe-based company established by Michelin, Stellantis and Forvia (each company owns a third) that is dedicated to fuel cell systems.

In December 2023 Symbio opened SymphonHy, a gigafactory in France that currently has the production capacity to produce 16,000 fuel cells. It expects to expand that number to 50,000 by 2026.

Notably, Symbio partner company Stellantis has announced that it is developing hydrogen tech for Ram brand pickups. It already offers hydrogen versions of Peugeot, Citroen and Opel commercial vehicles in Europe.

Using hydrogen for Ram could be a proverbial game-changer.

And speaking of games (OK, a sport): If nothing else, the affiliation with the Extreme H racing series will provide attention to the tech.

Extreme E is having a race in Phoenix this year, so assuming that goes well, the U.S. will be part of the series.

Perhaps Extreme H will make more people in the U.S. interested in the possibility of fuel cells in place of battery electrics.

And maybe those Shell hydrogen stations will be reopened or replaced.