Allentown-based Air Products, an industrial gases company that supplies and transports hydrogen, recently partnered with Cummins Inc., a global power and hydrogen technologies company based in Indiana, to accelerate the integration of hydrogen fuel cell trucks in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Under the agreement, Air Products will convert its global fleet of approximately 2,000 distribution vehicles to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles using hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrains Cummins provides. The powertrains will be integrated into select original equipment manufacturer partners’ heavy-duty trucks.
The companies also plan to increase the accessibility of renewable hydrogen.
“The best way to promote the adoption of hydrogen for mobility in heavy-duty applications is for us to have units on the road and lead by example,” Eric Guter, Air Products hydrogen for mobility solutions vice president, said. “In addition to other heavy-duty applications like transit fleets, where we already provide fueling solutions, the semi-truck market is a major opportunity for hydrogen due to its rigorous requirements. Only hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can provide the necessary range, refueling time, and weight requirements to decarbonize this important transportation sector.”
Air Products plans to convert its global fleet after the demonstration and pilot phase, scheduled to begin next year.
Its technologies are used in more than 1.5 million refuelings annually in 20 countries.