Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) Collaborates with Partners on Innovative Fuel Cell Delivery Van Project

The fuel cell vehicle design, based on specifications for the existing UES battery electric walk-in van, primarily uses on-board hydrogen as energy storage while leveraging the fuel cell and battery pack to meet power requirements

The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) announced that the first of 15 clean fuel cell hybrid electric walk-in delivery vans are now operating across Ontario, California. CTE coordinated the technology development and deployment in partnership with Accelera by Cummins, Unique Electric Solutions (UES), and the University of Texas – Center for Electromechanics (CEM). A combination of federal, state, and private funds provided by US Department of Energy (DOE), South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), California Energy Commission (CEC), California Air Resources Board (CARB), and SoCalGas supported the development of this vehicle with the primary objective to enhance the range capabilities of hydrogen medium-duty trucks, thereby bolstering their commercial feasibility.

This project is part of two significant public initiatives. First, it is integral to the efforts of the DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office to expedite the advancement and implementation of  on-board fuel cell hybrid-powered Class 3-6 medium-duty electric trucks (MD eTrucks). Second, it is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities.

The fuel cell vehicle design, based on specifications for the existing UES battery electric walk-in van, primarily uses on-board hydrogen as energy storage while leveraging the fuel cell and battery pack to meet power requirements. By integrating the fuel cell, power electronics, hydrogen storage system, and controls, the project team has created an efficient, zero-emission vehicle that doesn’t sacrifice cargo space or package weight and meets range requirements for parcel delivery services.

During Phase 1 of the project, the team successfully converted a diesel-powered walk-in van to electric drive with a fuel cell range extender. UT-CEM successfully integrated the Accelera fuel cell, power electronics, hydrogen storage system, and controls. The resulting Phase 1 demonstration vehicle was used in real-world testing and validation, which lasted approximately one year.

After a successful Phase 1, the project team was given the green light from DOE in 2019 to retrofit 15 existing in-use vans. The first of the 15 vehicles re-entered service in May 2023.

This project demonstrates the suitability of fuel cell electric delivery trucks in the last mile delivery space. Due to the frequent stops made by the driver to deliver packages, the duty cycle presents numerous opportunities for the battery to recharge using the hydrogen energy stored on board. This enables the vehicles to achieve a zero-emission range exceeding 125 miles.

The trucks are serving a high concentration of disadvantage communities in the Inland Empire and the lack of criteria pollutant emissions from these trucks will help reduce localized pollution impacts associated with package delivery. Among the extensive data collection and performance evaluation that is being accomplished, this project will also track the emissions reductions impact to these communities. This project recently received DOE’s Hydrogen Program 2023 Systems Development & Integration award in recognition of outstanding achievements in the development and demonstration of a fleet of hydrogen fuel cell box trucks for operation in disadvantaged communities.

“We couldn’t be more excited to see years of hard work and development come to fruition by putting these clean trucks into service. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our sponsors and dedication of our partners. Through this type of technology demonstration and advancement we believe we will continue to drive the industry towards clean transportation solutions,” said Jason Hanlin, CTE’s Director of Technology Development.

Another key component of the project’s success is the ability to fuel at a public Shell heavy-duty hydrogen fueling station in Ontario. This station not only supplies hydrogen to the retrofitted vans but also contributes to the larger vision of promoting clean transportation in the region. Foothill Transit is also utilizing the same fueling station for its 33 fuel cell buses, highlighting the collaborative efforts and impact of this initiative.

The strategic deployment of the first 15 delivery vans will allow for thorough evaluation of the vehicles under various duty cycles while minimizing potential disruptions to delivery operations. The data gathered and lessons learned will support continuous development towards fully commercialized medium-duty, zero-emission vehicles, while accelerating the introduction and market penetration of electric drive transportation technologies for commercial fleet customers shifting towards zero-emission alternatives.

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