By the middle of 2023, GP Joule in Reußenköge, Schleswig-Holstein, hopes to have the first of 5,000 hydrogen lorries on German highways.
Heavy-duty vehicles may find that using hydrogen instead of expensive batteries is a good idea because it can be swiftly fueled into high-pressure tanks and converted to electricity. This comes at a time when the Federal Motor Transport Authority predicts that by the beginning of 2023, one million electrically powered vehicles will likely be on the road thanks to subsidies of up to EUR 9,000 per vehicle.
5,000 electric trucks fueled by hydrogen by 2027
Ove Petersen, CEO of GP Joule, stated, “We are creating the market for green hydrogen ourselves. The corporation has run solar, wind, and biomass energy production facilities up until this point. With freight forwarders as its customers, Petersen is currently seeking to install 5,000 electric vehicles in the 40-ton class on German highways by 2027. A fuel cell on board will use hydrogen to provide the electricity. Per filling, the range should exceed 400 kilometers. To do this, starting in Schleswig-Holstein, around 150 hydrogen filling stations are required. Petersen noted that new wind and solar farms are being built around Germany while also utilizing those that already exist. Over the next five years, an installed capacity of 2.5 gigawatts will be required to deliver hydrogen. “In the second half of 2023, the first lorries will be driving on the roadways. He stated that there would be 500 more in 2024 and then 1,000 more each year. There is a lot of interest in the idea. Our zero-emission transport services are in extremely high demand among logistics organizations, “Joule remarked.
Clean Logistics
The project’s success depends on Clean Logistics in Winsen (Luhe), which unveiled its first zero-emission lorry in June. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region firm changes conventional lorries to hydrogen-powered vehicles that are favorable to the environment. According to Dirk Graszt, CEO of Clean Logistics, “This is the highest number of zero-emission lorries bought worldwide to date and is a primary focus for our developing firm.” By 2027, production capacity will steadily rise in the Dutch cities of Veenendaal and Winsen (Luhe). The majority of our hydrogen trucks will be made in Winsen, according to Graszt. However, the conversion is not inexpensive as modern hydrogen trucks cost over EUR 500,000 as opposed to about EUR 120,000 for diesel-powered trucks. However, the conversion can be advantageous for GP Joule because new car subsidies of 80% are available. We anticipate significant cost reductions from serial production, according to Graszt.
500 new positions for the metropolitan area
According to Graszt, “we are getting a lot of inquiries, particularly from freight forwarders with sizable fleets of cars.” To fulfill the growing demand, more skilled professionals are required in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. He emphasized and laid out even more ambitious goals, saying, “We will create up to 500 new jobs in Winse over the next three to five years and are desperately looking for skilled employees.” “Our goal is to produce the entire vehicle ourselves, employing tractors or gliders from reputable suppliers for articulated lorries.”
