Westport Fuel Systems Inc., a supplier of advanced alternative fuel systems and components, has successfully completed a heavy-transport demonstration, with KAJ Inrikes and others, of its H2 HPDI fuel system-equipped prototype truck hauling a trailer filled with IKEA home-furnishing products in Älmhult, Sweden.
This is the second validation of the H2 HPDI system in a heavy-haul application with a major fleet in the past 60 days and represents an important step in accelerating decarbonization in the heavy-duty transport industry.
During the event, the complete hydrogen ecosystem was represented, including green hydrogen production; hydrogen filling stations; Westport’s HPDI technology; vehicle manufacturers; fleet operators; and the end user, IKEA, as a buyer of sustainable transportation services.
“We had a great day participating in the showcasing of the Westport H2 HPDI fuel system technology and are appreciative of this collaborative initiative, and the hospitality of KAJ Inrikes and the surrounding players in the hydrogen ecosystem,” says Ola Henriksson, senior product manager at Scania. “Scania is staying true to its purpose of driving the shift toward more sustainable transport systems, and the technology of using hydrogen in the internal combustion engine is an interesting decarbonization pathway because it represents an attractive solution with high maturity and quick time to market.”
The collaboration between Westport and key transportation and energy partners includes:
- KAJ Inrikes, fleet operator, a “green-focused” haulage company performing transport for IKEA and other customers in the Älmhult and Jönköping area.
- Smålandslogistik, a long-haul and distribution company that has identified the environment and decarbonization as important areas where it can contribute meaningful impact through its daily business.
- Metacon AB, hydrogen fuel provider, a Sweden-based supplier of energy technology, including electolyzers and reformers for refining biogas into fossil-free hydrogen.
- Hydri AB, hydrogen infrastructure company, building and operating a complete network of green hydrogen refueling stations in Sweden.
Westport’s H2 HPDI fuel system for internal combustion engines results in a robust and affordable solution with higher power and torque than the same engine running on diesel fuel. Moreover, the European Commission has recommended a definition of a Zero Emission Vehicle as part of the upcoming HD CO2 regulation; Westport expects H2 HPDI-powered vehicles to meet this ZEV definition for a range of heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
In this collaboration, the Westport HPDI fuel system-equipped truck operating on hydrogen pulled a trailer filled with approximately 40 tons of IKEA home-furnishing products, demonstrating the high performance of the IC hydrogen engine.
“As the first heavy transport hauler in Sweden to be Euro VI-compliant, we take emissions reduction very seriously,” says Kaj Johansson, president of KAJ Inrikes. “We are pleased to have participated in this demonstration as it illustrates our commitment to IKEA, and all our customers, to support their transport decarbonization goals.”
“Heavy hauling is recognized as amongst the most challenging applications within transportation to decarbonize,” adds Anders Johansson, vice president, Heavy-Duty OEM for Westport. “These heavy-transport fleets require sustainable technologies that are viable for their operations as well as practical and affordable for today’s market. We are encouraged to see a global retail giant such as IKEA field testing our H2 HPDI prototype truck as part of its decarbonization continuum, experiencing for themselves the robustness of the system and its real-life benefits.”
“We are happy to dedicate one of our lanes, operated by KAJ Inrikes, to test the hydrogen-powered vehicle,” says Michal Silhacek, category land manager, IKEA Supply Chain Operations. “We look forward to exploring the possible role of this technical solution in our future zero-emission transportation.”