One of the two trucks.
Photo: Supplied / Toyota
The most remarkable thing to sit on the passenger seat of the first hydrogen truck built by New Zealand is that you can’t really hear it.
While the New Zealand Post had a large hydrogen truck on the road for two years, it was the only one of its kind and, as the trucks looked like diesel, they were hard to identify until you were close enough to hear – or note that there was no exhaust smoke.
Now two more are ready for the roads, subject to some last -minute tests.
The TR Group truck leasing company ordered 20, but as it was not familiar to trucks and truck operators, they gave potential customers curious to take a walk on the runway in Hampton Downs south of Auckland on Thursday.
A truck was fully built in New Zealand by the global bus developments based in Christchurch, the other by Hyundai.
Any engine noise was almost impossible to hear about the other most typical racing track occupants – fossil -powered running cars.
Hydrogen -powered truck from the New Zealand Post.
Photo: ELOISE GIBSON / RNZ
My truck driver commented that he could hear each individual on the big truck tires.
Even the drone hanging the ceiling capture images was higher than trucks, although they are what the owner Tr Group calls “the great end of the city.”
Sound and acceleration look like an electric car, only larger.
With many companies trying to reduce freight emissions, TR Group believes that there is a market for large zero emission trucks that can carry too large or too large loads, to adapt to the refueling capacity of electrical trucks currently available in New Zealand.
Some of the event companies were already using electric battery trucks, but looking for something bigger. Others were deciding about the next step, but wanting to signal customers that they cared about facing what – in the words of a speaker – “everyone is worrying.”
A freight company representative said his company was “desperate” to get hydrogen trucks, but the cost was a barrier and they were still elaborating the refueling logistics.
With four hydrogen supply stations in Auckland, Hamilton and soon, Tauranga, the replenishment hiring the energy have what they call the “gold triangle” covered with stations that look outside, as stacked containers.
A guest wanted to know when the south island would receive its turn from hydrogen supply – the answer was about 2027 or when there were about 20 trucks operating on the south island to make it viable.
The refueling stations are being built and operated by the Taranaki -based Hiringa, which attracts electricity at peak hours when it is cheaper and uses it to convert hydrogen -purified tap to its refueling sites. The trucks do not make exhaust smoke – only water.
The revisions after driving the trucks were mainly positive.
An experienced waste driver said the hydrogen truck drove “very well” and as soft as he expected, although he wants to pull a load before delivering a final verdict.
For the chief group TR, Brendan King, these trucks come.
After gaining government funding to buy New Zealand’s first hydrogen trucks, TR filed a request with Hyzon and successfully found customers to rent all 20.
Then Hyzon was failed.
This has been good and bad, he said. Half of the substitution trucks are being made in New Zealand by the Global Bus Ventures, while the others, made by Hyundai, are a family design on our roads; Therefore, in general, he is happier with the vehicles.
But finding customers to rent them again has been a challenge, as now there has been much more difficult economic times, he said.
TR says there are buyers aligned for the initial lot, and the NZ Post hydrogen truck is two years old without problems.
But as they attract interest, trucks are not cheap and that was a topic of discussion among those who expected a driving curve.
Government subsidies allowed TR to buy the first twenty, allowing them to offer them to hire those who may not want to commit to buying their own.
The efficiency and energy and conservation authority, which managed the financing, says that 20 driving will allow companies to compare them with the electrical options in real conditions of New Zealand.
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