A consortium called Hub2Hub, led by Glasgow-based Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS), has received £6.6 million in funding to develop an autonomous heavy-duty hydrogen-electric truck.
The project has been selected by the Center for Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) and is jointly funded by industry and government. HVS will manage the project alongside Fusion Processing and UK supermarket chain ASDA, with a total investment of £12 million expected.
See also: HVS unveil its hydrogen commercial vehicle design
The public subsidy covers half of the project costs. The consortium aims to start test drives in 2024 with the help of the CAVStar driving system from Fusion Processing. Two prototypes of level 4 autonomous trucks, one with a driver’s cab and one without, will be built.
No details have been provided on the planned hydrogen drive system, but the goal is for a range of 500 km. The Hub2Hub project focuses on transport routes between logistics centers and is considered suitable for autonomous driving modes.
HVS CEO Jawad Khursheed commented: “A transport revolution is taking place in the UK and HVS,
together with the consortium, is at the forefront of the innovation. We are engineering the world’s first
autonomous hydrogen-electric powered HGV to demonstrate hub-to-hub logistics to a leading retailer,
ASDA, to elevate public perception, showcasing the potential autonomy can deliver thanks to increased
safety and fuel savings, and develop new business models.”
See also: ZeroAvia Makes History with Maiden Flight of World’s Largest Hydrogen-Electric Powered Aircraft
Fusion Processing CEO Jim Hutchinson said: “Our market analysis indicates that the commercial
vehicle segments such as haulage are where we will see autonomous vehicle technology first used in
large scale deployments. Hub2Hub is a perfect showcase of what the advanced version of our CAVstar
Automated Drive System can achieve. Combining SAE Level 4 autonomous driving with tele-operation
to deliver safer and more efficient vehicle operations.”
