(Reußenköge) – The northern German GP Joule GmbH is sending a clear signal: the company will purchase 5.000 fuel cell trucks from Hamburg-based Clean Logistics SE over the next five years - a scale that not even global corporations have yet dared to approach. According to the information, the total volume of the framework agreement is in the low single-digit billion euro range.

Arrangement of trucks including refueling infrastructure

GP Joule wants to sell the 40-ton truck, including the necessary infrastructure, to customers from logistics and retail. The production and procurement of green hydrogen from renewable energies is ensured. “This link is unique and also very important in order to advance the expansion of renewable energies even faster without waiting for the electricity grids to be expanded,” says Ove Petersen, managing director and co-founder of GP Joule.

The heavy trucks ordered are new vehicles. Clean Logistics will use “trailer tractors without a drive train and equip them with fuel cell, battery and hydrogen tank systems” as well as the specially developed axle with wheel hub electric motors and the special “HyBoss” control system. No further technical details about the vehicles were given.

A few weeks ago, the company presented the prototype of a diesel truck converted to hydrogen power. The car with two fuel cells, each with an output of 120 kilowatts, and a lithium-ion battery should give the model called “Fyuriant” a range of more than 400 kilometers. The tank holds 43 kilograms. The project was funded with 3,3 million euros by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.

Several hundred thousand tons of CO2 savings

With an annual mileage of 100.000 kilometers and 25 liters of diesel consumption per 100 kilometers, a single tractor unit now emits more than 65 tons of CO2 per year, according to GP Joule's calculations. The fleet of 5.000 hydrogen trucks will be able to save more than 325.000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. “The production of hydrogen is beneficial to the system,” says Petersen, and will “guarantee security of supply in this country in the future.” If there is no wind and the sun does not shine, “only green hydrogen will provide the required amounts of renewable energy and thus sovereignty and independence.”

GP Joule Hydrogen develops, builds and operates hydrogen filling stations for trucks, buses and light commercial vehicles on behalf of municipalities, business park developers or companies. As part of the project “eFarmThe company produces green hydrogen with electricity from regional wind farms and has two for sales Gas stations built in North Frisia. For local public transport, GP Joule procured two fuel cell buses and 35 fuel cell cars for businesses and also organized individual financing for each.

Photos
The first hydrogen-powered truck “Fyuriant” was recently presented to the public by Clean Logistics. © Clean Logistics SE

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