General Motors and the Department of Energy are investing a combined $65 million to deploy hydrogen fuel-cell work trucks across the U.S.
The new trucks, powered by the automaker’s Hydrotec system, will be used at worksites operated by Southern Company, one of the largest energy providers in the U.S., and will be similar in design to the 2024 Chevy Silverado 5500 MD. The car manufacturer’s own driving range estimate for the vehicles is 300 miles. The utility company will also cooperate with General Motors, the U.S. government, and Nel ASA, a hydrogen supplier based in Norway, to build a “fueling infrastructure” for the new trucks.
The three companies are together investing $39 million into the project. The remaining $26 million will come from the Department of Energy’s SuperTruck 3 program, an initiative launched in 2021 to support the development of both hydrogen fuel cell and battery-electric commercial vehicles, and the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
Charlie Freese, executive director of General Motors’ Hydrotec, said in a statement that the “trucks and their accompanying hydrogen infrastructure can help enable a zero-emissions solution for [heavy-duty and medium-duty] truck customers looking to meet their clean energy goals as well as reduce their operational noise and carbon footprint.”
General Motors is one of several automakers, including Toyota, to continue support for fuel cell vehicles despite the challenges in scaling hydrogen production. However, while alternative zero-emission drivetrains may be more appropriate for passenger cars, hydrogen shows potential in the area of commercial vehicles, due to its relative efficiency in pulling cargo. Both Toyota and General Motors have pivoted away from mass-market hydrogen cars in recent years to prioritize heavy and medium-duty fuel cell trucks.
