CaFCPe envisions 70,000 heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks in California

CaFCP releases vision document that calls for policy signals to unlock and accelerate private investment in trucks, infrastructure, and hydrogen production, including 200 stations by 2035.

The California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) released a new foundational document for heavy-duty class 8 fuel cell electric trucks (FCETs), "Fuel Cell Electric Trucks: A Vision for Freight Movement in California and Beyond.”

The document envisions 70,000 trucks supported by 200 heavy-duty truck stations by 2035. The vision emphasizes the urgent need for policies that unlock and accelerate private investment to achieve this interim step towards a larger goal of 100% zero-emission trucks by 2045.

"Getting to a zero-emission future requires the partnership of government and industry, and the utilization of every tool at our disposal," said Jerome Gregeois, Director Commercial Vehicles Development at Hyundai-Kia and chair of the CaFCP board of directors. "At Hyundai-Kia, we know that battery and fuel cell electric technologies are needed to meet the diverse needs of our customers."

The vision emphasizes the need for both zero-emission vehicle technologies, and that "to truly realize a successful 100% zero-emission transition requires the unique capabilities of FCETs."

Heavy-duty trucks represent only 2% of vehicles on California roads, yet these hundreds of thousands of trucks generate more than 9% of the State's greenhouse gas emissions, 32% of its nitrogen oxides, and 3% of its particulate emissions.

"The successful rollout of heavy-duty, zero-emission trucks requires the interplay of several key elements. In the case of FCETs, that includes synchronizing vehicle rollout with hydrogen fueling infrastructure, and renewable and zero-carbon hydrogen production," said Joe Cappello, CEO of Iwatani Corporation of America and vice chair of CaFCP.