Australian debut for HDrive fuel cell prime mover

While several major and long-established truck brands were showcasing their zero-emission vehicles at the recent Brisbane Truck Show, a newer, relatively little-known company was quietly unveiling what it describes as Australia’s first hydrogen fuel cell prime mover.

In an Australian debut that also underlines the theme of disruption so prevalent amid the transition to a fossil-free future, Australian zero-emissions vehicle company HDrive, in partnership with hydrogen supplier Pure Hydrogen, pulled the covers off its new TS50-330 49T 6x4 prime mover.

Designed by HDrive specifically for the Australian and New Zealand markets and produced in China by Wisdom Fujian Motor Co, the truck has already been leased by PepsiCo – hence the red, blue and white colour scheme – and will shortly commence trials in Brisbane hauling snack foods in a back-to-base capacity.

The truck is part of a range of 22 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles offered by HDrive, from 12-seater buses up to coaches and prime movers, with a Dennis Eagle-based refuse truck set to join the line-up in the near future.

HDrive says the prime mover on display in Brisbane has a tare mass of 11 tonnes and a GCM of 49 tonnes, but the same design can be configured for a GCM of up to 68 tonnes to handle B-double work.

Boasting a range of up to 400km, the truck is powered by a 300kW hydrogen fuel cell from Canadian hydrogen fuel cell specialist, Ballard. Hydrogen is stored on the truck at a pressure of 700 bar, with the option of 350 bar.

In bringing these hydrogen trucks to Australia, HDrive has partnered with ASX-listed company Pure Hydrogen, which says it is “building an end-to-end hydrogen market” in Australia spanning everything from hydrogen production and distribution to end-user infrastructure. At this early stage, Pure Hydrogen will be using its mobile hydrogen refueling system to fuel the Brisbane-based PespiCo truck.

The HDrive truck was unveiled at the Brisbane Truck Show by the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator Bridget McKenzie (pictured, above), flanked by HDrive and Pure Hydrogen executives.

“One of the challenges for our country going forward is to have a low-emissions transport industry,” Senator McKenzie said. “The Federal Government might like to think that’s all going to be about electric vehicles, but it’s got to be about a whole lot of technological solutions, and today this is an Australian first. It’s not the first hydrogen-fueled vehicle, but it’s the first real hydrogen fuel cell prime mover – and it’s super exciting for those of us who want to see a low-emissions transport industry going forward.”