This hydrogen-powered GM business truck provides 300 miles of vary and “generates sufficient electrical energy to energy 250 typical American properties” (for a couple of minutes?). Simply not on the identical time.
GM is looking this newest gas cell-powered truck idea the muse of “a hydrogen-based worksite ecosystem,” and imagines a world the place Chevrolet Silverado 5500 MD vans like this one are fitted with HYDROTEC gas cell methods able to producing 300 kW of peak energy. The vans would then function mills for on-site instruments, moveable workplaces, and extra.
Jacob Lozier, HYDROTEC’s program supervisor, instructed reporters final week that these vans might, “energy job websites or deliver charging to EVs in areas the place conventional charging will not be obtainable,” earlier than including that, “it has sufficient energy and vitality to supply energy for as much as 250 American properties.”
GM and its companions have been in a position to get practically 300 miles of vary from the large MD Chevy (in comparison with 450 from the Silverado EV), which has a … let’s go together with “distinctive” look. One which, in response to a HYDROTEC spokesperson, was impressed by transport containers.
“Our staff was impressed by the efficiencies of transport containers and the way that would contribute additional to the efficiencies of this breakthrough truck,” studies James Carter. “It was the proper resolution.”
“To realize a 300 mile vary, we needed to examine new packaging initiatives for the tanks to carry 40kg of hydrogen,” is one other quote attributed to the GM/HYDROTEC staff. “[Fortunately], we have been in a position to obtain this and nonetheless depart a 3ft mattress for purchasers.”
The autos have been constructed with funding awarded from the Division of Vitality’s SuperTruck 3 program and the Hydrogen and Gasoline Cell Applied sciences Workplace as a part of a pilot program to display the real-world capabilities of gas cells for fleet and business clients.
Southern Firm, one of many largest southern utility corporations, will obtain the HYDROTEC gas cell-powered Chevy MD vans and use them as store autos at its worksites. Southern Firm, along with GM and Nel ASA, will use additionally take a look at out a hydrogen microgrid for fueling infrastructure that features a stationary gas cell-based cellular energy generator.
Electrek’s Jo’s Take
Look, I’m the primary particular person to say that battery-electric energy will not be the reply for every part. I’m a “proper software for the proper job” type of particular person. I perceive that sure jobs in sure fields require kilowatt hours of vitality each hour. Batteries made with at this time’s know-how must be so large to supply that energy that the automobile they’re hooked up to would sink into asphalt, not to mention filth and dust. Hydrogen, when blended with diesel to chop carbon and NOx emissions and in a number of different extraordinarily restricted combustion situations, has a (short-term) position.
This ain’t it.
“It’s simply terrible,” I wrote to Electrek chief Seth Weintraub. “I can’t imagine it’s not an April Fools’ joke.”
“Expensive lord,” he wrote again. “I assume the cellular energy mills is one thing wanted however solely 300 miles is laughable … if it may go 300 miles and it’s a generator that places out 1MWh,” he stated, re-reading the discharge, “then, OK. This is smart.”
I checked out it once more and shook my head. “For what it’s value, I’m virtually sure that’s in whole. Have a look at all of the hydrogen it takes to get a Nikola to go 400-ish miles.”
Nikola hydrogen semi truck
Nonetheless, I didn’t need to name GM’s multimillion greenback hydrogen truck program a laughable monstrosity with out some due diligence, so I reached out to GM’s press contact. I despatched over the next e-mail in a quest for readability:
Studying this text, it’s not clear if the truck has 300 miles of vary AND “can energy 250 properties for a day” or has 300 miles of vary OR “can energy 250 properties for a day.” Are you able to assist make clear if the vary is tied to the output? That means: can it drive out 150 (ish) miles, present that energy, then drive 150 (ish) miles again?
My e-mail to gm
Their response was professionally brief.
The 250 properties portion is to place it into perspective the quantity of energy the truck has. Driving the vans would scale back the obtainable gas storage for powering properties, and many others.
GM press contact
So, what’s it precisely that GM and HYDROTEC have proven us right here? As a result of, from the place I sit, what now we have right here is a gigantic MD pickup with considerably lowered vary when in comparison with its diesel counterparts, that’s restricted to a virtually ineffective 3 ft. of mattress area (which, one imagines, would drop to zero on even a Silverado 3500 dually) that may energy a job website for about the identical quantity for time as a hybrid F-150 (so long as it’s not too far-off from a hydrogen filling station) and for considerably much less time than a standard EV or solar-powered gen set. And it does all these issues worse than current applied sciences at a considerably larger value than any, with a doubtful environmental benefit to diesel and none to battery and photo voltaic.
When MAN Truck’s CEO Alexander Vlaskamp instructed reporters that it was “inconceivable for hydrogen to successfully compete with battery electrical vans,” I believed him. I simply didn’t anticipate GM to show his level.
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