Hydrogen-fuelled truck breaks world record to shine light on future of transportation
In a remarkable milestone for sustainable transportation, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered truck has established a new world record for the farthest distance achieved without refuelling by a hydrogen fuel cell-powered truck.
This extraordinary journey of 2,906.47 km (1,806 mi) was achieved by Accelera™ by Cummins in Sacramento, California, USA, on 25 October.
The record-breaking vehicle is Accelera’s zero-emissions H2Rescue truck, a Kenworth T370 prototype designed for emergency response missions.
This Class 7 heavy-duty truck, weighing approximately 33,000 pounds, represents a significant collaboration between Accelera, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
With this record, Accelera highlights the promising potential of hydrogen technology for zero-emissions transportation and portable power solutions.
As this was a new record title, the minimum distance was 1,931 kilometres, or 1,200 miles.
The attempt started on Friday 18 October when the truck was driven to Oakland, California, performing multiple GPS-tracked loops around the city.
The truck completed its record-setting journey in central California and was closely monitored and validated by an Adjudicator from Guinness World Records who confirmed the truck’s hydrogen tank was sealed before the journey began.
Industry collaboration and real-world testing is essential to refine innovations, allowing groundbreaking solutions to reach the market. Together with our Government partners, we've achieved a key milestone in demonstrating long-haul, zero-emissions transportation. - Prateek Vaish, Technical lead on the H2Rescue program.
Powered by an Accelera fuel cell engine and a 250 kW traction motor, the truck carried 175 kilograms of onboard hydrogen and consumed 168 kg of it during the trip.
The vehicle average speed was between 50 and 55 mph, operating in temperatures varying from 60 to 80 ºF.
Over the 1,800-mile trip, the hydrogen-filled truck emitted zero pounds of carbon dioxide, a stark contrast to the 664 pounds a standard internal combustion engine vehicle would have produced over the same distance.
On 25 October, the last day of the journey, the truck was set out for another short journey, surpassing the company’s goal of getting above 1,800 miles.
Upon completion of the journey, Guinness World Records Adjudicator Michael Empric announced the successful achievement to the Cummins team and their media representatives.
Hydrogen as a power source offers significant advantages for long-range applications with heavy-duty work cycles, such as trucks, buses, and rail systems. It generates minimal noise and produces zero emissions, with water and steam as the only byproducts.
Annually, a fuel cell-powered truck of this size can displace approximately 1,825 gallons of fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 2.5 metric tons.
By demonstrating the viability and benefits of hydrogen technology, Accelera by Cummins has set a new standard for sustainable mobility, paving the way for cleaner and more efficient transportation solutions.
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