Zero-emission long-distance freight transportation in Europe has reached a major new stage. As part of the EU-funded ZEFES project, Ford Trucks, the global brand of ZEFES’ Turkish partner Ford Otomotiv Sanayi, is building its first fuel cell truck. The F-MAX fuel cell electric heavy-duty concept truck will operate as part of a larger zero-emission fleet collecting data from real-world operations. To deliver the hydrogen fuel storage system needed to develop the F-MAX fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), Ford Trucks turned to zero-emission mobility and infrastructure solutions supplier Hexagon Purus of Norway. The complete hydrogen storage system is scheduled to be delivered in the first quarter of 2024. The F-MAX FCEV will be manufactured in Turkey and European Ten-T corridor demonstrations are expected to begin in 2025 as part of the ZEFES project objectives.
Leading the decarbonization of long-distance transportation
“We are focusing our investment, R&D and innovation efforts in line with our global electrification strategy to be a leading player in the decarbonization transformation taking place in the automotive industry,” Ford Trucks Vice President Emrah Doman said in a news article published on the Motor Transport website. . “We are very pleased to have the support of Hexagon Purus as an experienced partner in our development plan for a heavy duty fuel cell electric truck as part of the ZEFES project.” The project intends to deploy a total of nine different long-distance truck configurations – six battery electric vehicles, or BEVs, and three FCEVs. Starting in 2025, the nine trucks will operate for 15 months and collect driving data from real-world operations. Up to 1 million kilometers of data will be collected across EU corridors in real-life daily operations. The real-time data will be integrated into a digital platform that will be developed within the ZEFES project. The transport sector is responsible for about 20% of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions. In decarbonisation efforts, clean hydrogen plays an important role, especially in sectors such as long-distance transportation, where emissions have proven difficult to reduce. ZEFES works to address the decarbonisation of long-distance freight transport by developing zero-emission vehicles. To achieve their goal, ZEFES partners focus on mass production capabilities, improving efficiency and demonstrating the use of technology in daily operations. Through these efforts, ZEFES (Zero Emission Flexible Vehicle Platforms with Modular Engines Serving the Long-Distance Freight Ecosystem) is helping bring Europe’s transportation sector one step closer to the European Green Deal and 2ZERO emissions targets. For more information, please see: ZEFES project website
Key words
ZEFES, emissions, long distance transportation, long distance freight transportation, fuel cell, truck, truck, fuel cell electric vehicle, FCEV, battery electric vehicle, zero emissions, transportation
