Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) has shown a number of concept vehicles but now the UK company has announced the delivery of its engineering prototype test mule, X1.5, to its test facilities. This marks the beginning of the crucial development phase to bring its first full-sized hydrogen HGV to market.
X1.5, powered by the same hydrogen fuel cell as will be used in the production HGVs, will be used for functionality and systems development, including dyno-rig testing and is an important precursor to track testing prototypes that will quickly follow.
The delivery of X1.5 is a key milestone for HVS which, following the successful launch of its HGV technology demonstrator in April this year, has been focusing on bringing this vehicle to market.
“The team and I are thrilled that the X1.5 engineering prototype has arrived at our test facility and we can now begin the vital development phase of testing the hydrogen fuel-cell technology on the dyno-rig,” said John McKenna, chief technical officer at HVS. “Maximizing the performance of the fuel cell is a key step ahead of beginning on-track testing and bringing this exciting new HGV to market.”
Designed and engineered from a clean sheet approach, HVS’s zero-emission hydrogen electric HGV aims to help decarbonize the hardest-to-abate section of the transportation industry – heavy haulage. HGVs currently make up 1.5% of all vehicles on the road, yet produce 19% of the emissions. HVS says its range of HGVs will emit only 693ml of water per kilometer as a by-product of the hydrogen fuel-cell producing electricity.
