CEVA Logistics, part of the CMA CGM Group, will test one of the first heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) trucks on the market in partnership with Toyota Motor Europe (TME).
More specifically, the truck is designed for TME by Dutch manufacturer VDL Groep and it will operate under a five-year contract, decarbonising TME’s supply chain while also providing valuable performance information on the HFC.
Additionally, CEVA will take possession of and integrate the prototype into its operations in the second half of 2023. Through the pilot programme, CEVA will further evaluate the hydrogen fuel cell trucks.
CEVA’s purchase of the prototype will be partially funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport through around US$420 million in the context of the federal funding programme “Climate-friendly commercial vehicles and infrastructure (KsNI).”
In particular, the funding programme is coordinated by NOW GmbH, applications are approved by the Federal Logistics and Mobility Office.
The company aims to study the performance of the hydrogen fuel cell technology compared to traditional diesel trucks and identify potential use cases.
Also, according to CEVA, the fuel cell-hydrogen truck will be assigned to a dedicated flow between two TME sites and will be fuelled with hydrogen supplied from existing stations available between the sites.
Thus, the company expects to reduce its carbon footprint by at least 690 tons of CO2 during the five-year test period.
Luc Nadal, managing director for Europe at CEVA Logistics, commented, “We have a long-standing relationship with Toyota Motor Europe, and playing an active role in this decarbonisation project with them represents an important moment for us and for our industry.”
