Australian hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle manufacturer H2X Global has signed a memorandum of understanding with Norwegian Hydrogen to develop a full-service framework for commercial hydrogen transportation in the Nordic region. The collaboration will focus on the supply of hydrogen and a range of fuel-cell vehicles for the Nordic region starting from the end of this year.
The companies will develop a commercial and operational framework that will allow fleet operators to switch to an emission-free fleet of vehicles, and refuel at Norwegian Hydrogen stations. H2X Global estimates that its pilot plant in Hellesylt will produce up to 1.4 tonnes of hydrogen per day, which will power up to 9000km of heavy-road transport per year.
Norwegian Hydrogen has previously partnered with US-based company FirstElement fuel and Japanese Mitsui to build a Nordic-wide hydrogen refuelling station network. The International Energy Agency has reported that 23% of global energy-related CO2 emissions come from the transport sector alone.
H2X Global has recently secured deals in Europe for the supply of its commercial fleet and commenced European vehicle validation and verification testing for its Warrego ute. The company secured a tender with Swedish firm Renova AB for the supply of commercial vehicles to Sweden starting in December this year, with the final vehicles being delivered in 2025. The H2X Warrego ute has a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain developed for light commercial vehicles, rather than a traditional internal-combustion engine.
The AWD Warrego will feature a 260kW electric motor and a 60kW fuel-cell connected to a 30kWh battery and supercapacitor electric drive system, with a range of more than 400km. Production of the H2X Warrego ute will be undertaken in Europe and in Australia.
The Warrego is set to be a demonstrator vehicle for H2X’s technology, preceding the Darling commercial van and people mover. These models are set to be released by the end of 2024 and will be built on a bespoke platform developed in partnership with KTM Technologies.