Hyzon Motors announced that its Australian subsidiary has signed a definitive vehicle supply agreement with Australian industrial gases company Coregas Pty Limited to supply two hydrogen fuel cell-powered heavy vehicles.
The Hyzon Hymax-450 prime movers are scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2022 and will be Australia’s first hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles.
The prime movers are expected to be deployed immediately upon delivery from Hyzon’s production site in the Netherlands, replacing Coregas’ existing diesel fleet and carrying specialty gases, including hydrogen, to Coregas customers in Sydney and throughout New South Wales. Decarbonization prospects will be rapid, with the project estimated to achieve a 50% decrease in emissions compared to currently used trucks.
Coregas is also creating Australia’s first commercial vehicle hydrogen refueling station at its Port Kembla plant. The station will support both Hyzon hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicles and third-party refueling of trucks and buses.
The project is a critical first step toward the development of a bigger hydrogen ecosystem. Port Kembla and Illawarra-Shoalhaven are well positioned to be an epicenter of the burgeoning hydrogen sector, owing to a number of advantages that will encourage the growth of the thriving domestic and export hydrogen industries.
Hyzon and Coregas are seeking the chance to expand hydrogen-powered trucks on a large scale. The parties are actively engaging businesses operating in and near the port on the possibility of transitioning to hydrogen and decarbonizing the fleet of heavy vehicles. At the moment, over 7,000 trucks transit daily between the region and Sydney.
The New South Wales Government recently announced a $70 million package to support the establishment of hydrogen hubs throughout the state, with Port Kembla being a priority location due to its deep-water port, electricity and gas infrastructure, water recycling plant, road and rail connections, research and development presence, and sizable heavy-duty vehicle fleet.
“Hyzon is proud to partner with Coregas in our shared effort to decarbonize Australia’s heavy trucking industry,” said Craig Knight, CEO and Co-Founder of Hyzon. “This partnership reflects two truths about the energy transition: first, that the technology is ready to be deployed now; second, that collaborative efforts are integral in accelerating this shift. We are excited to work with Coregas to introduce hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks to Australia.”
“Coregas is working hard to apply our expertise in hydrogen distribution, compression and storage to Australia’s transition to a hydrogen economy,” said Alan Watkins, Executive General Manager from Coregas. “Transforming the transport sector is a critical piece of the puzzle, and we are delighted to partner with Hyzon to operate these vehicles out of our Hydrogen refueling station in Port Kembla.”