Quantron US, a subsidiary of the German sustainable transport specialist, Quantron AG, has teamed up with FirstElement Fuel to leverage the latter’s hydrogen refuelling network for hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks.
The two companies announced their commitment to the partnership at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Anaheim, California. Quantron is showcasing its new hydrogen fuel-cell electric semi-truck with 80kg of hydrogen on board and demonstrating best-in-class tank capacity at the event. When complete, the trucks are expected to offer a range of about 750 – 850 miles on a 100kg tank system and only require 10 –15 minutes for refuelling to 100% capacity.
The collaboration between Quantron and FirstElement Fuel assures that Quantron customers have access to hydrogen refuelling through the FirstElement station network. This announcement expands Quantron-as-a-Service, a 360-degree per-mile service that offers fleet owners everything required to transition to hydrogen.
According to Rick Haas, Quantron US president and CEO, the partnership with FirstElement Fuel will help overcome the challenge of modern infrastructure that limits the potential of other alternative energy sources, by providing access to a reliable refuelling network. FirstElement Fuel operates the largest network of hydrogen refuelling stations in the world, with 12 stations across California as phase one of its development plan. The company is now developing a network of “high flow” hydrogen stations capable of filling heavy duty, medium duty, and light duty class vehicles, with the first of these set to open later this year near the Port of Oakland.
Michael Perschke, Quantron AG CEO, said after finding early success in Europe, the company started considering the vast potential for hydrogen fuel solutions in North America, which led them to partner with FirstElement Fuel. The collaboration helps advance development of the US version of Quantron-as-a-Service, an integrated solution for fleet owners to transition to zero-emissions.
