International logistics big 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 best way again to 2015, when the transport firm put its first Orange EV yard canine to work at Diageo’s Plainfield, Illinois, terminal. As such, you may be stunned to be taught that DHL is choosing a hydrogen-powered Nikola as an alternative 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 when it comes to hydrogen vs. battery right here. As an alternative, the options are diesel, CNG, or hydrogen. And, on this specific software – heavy haul, simply 350-400 mile routes all through the Nice Lakes area, and restricted charging accessible for large vans exterior of California – the hydrogen vans would possibly provide a big emissions discount in comparison with diesel, and that’s what the DHL pilot hopes to find.
“As a world logistics firm with the aim of decarbonizing its enterprise, we’ve built-in sustainability as a fourth strategic backside line named ‘Inexperienced Logistics of Selection’ in our newly introduced Technique 2030,” explains Jim Monkmeyer, President of Transportation, DHL Provide Chain. “The deployment of those gasoline cell electrical autos is certainly one of 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 provide important enhancements in driver consolation and ADAS effectiveness by lowering the noise and vibration present in diesel and CNG vans, which reduces driver fatigue and enhances the flexibility of the cameras and sensors to obviously see the street forward.
“We’re extraordinarily excited to be part of this partnership delivering the primary set of industrial quality hydrogen vans to Illinois, house 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 already know 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 few 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 truthful play.
Whether or not or not this specific hydrogen pilot program will make sufficient sense for DHL and Diageo to proceed with the HFCEVs going ahead, nonetheless, stays to be seen.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Diageo, through Nikola.
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