CMB.TECH and Ford Trucks have announced an exciting partnership to convert Ford F-Max trucks into dual fuel hydrogen trucks using groundbreaking hydrogen technology.
This collaboration signals a pivotal moment in the transportation industry’s shift towards greener alternatives, offering customers swift access to hydrogen solutions that will drive an environmentally friendly era in the sector.
CMB.TECH, leveraging its extensive hydrogen knowledge and expertise, will lead the conversion process. With the proven reliability of Ford F-Max trucks, the focus will be on seamlessly integrating the new dual fuel technology. The conversion involves adding a hydrogen injection ring to the airline, without any modifications to the traditional diesel engine, making it highly scalable. In this dual fuel system, hydrogen is aspirated into the combustion chamber, reducing the need for diesel injection to power the engine.
The conversion process includes mounting hydrogen tanks, installing the injection ring on the engine, and setting up the engine control unit. Quality control and validation are then conducted to ensure the performance of the dual fuel hydrogen trucks. This conversion to hydrogen offers the potential to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, while retaining a diesel backup for situations when hydrogen refueling is not available.
While dual fuel technology serves as a short-term solution, this partnership allows for the deployment of hydrogen-powered trucks across continents, including Europe, before the widespread adoption of mono-fuel hydrogen ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) motor and FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) technologies.
Roy Campe, CTO of CMB.TECH, expressed the scalability and simplicity of the concept they have developed, enabling modification of trucks within three days at any dual fuel workshop. Together with Ford Trucks, they are poised to expand throughout Europe, providing a low-carbon, affordable, and robust solution for heavy-duty long-haul road transport.
This partnership represents a significant milestone in the advancement of hydrogen technology within the truck manufacturing industry. With the combined expertise of both companies, the collaboration aims to meet the innovative demands of the energy transition.
