GWM Hydrogen FTXT fuel cell truck delivered in Brazil

GWM Hydrogen FTXT truck in Brazil (Photo: GWM)

A heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell truck produced by GWM Hydrogen FTXT, part of China’s Great Wall Motor (GWM), is reported to have become the first of its type to arrive in Brazil.

The truck will be used for testing and research to in real-world conditions to understand how fuel cell models would operate in the country.

The truck is said to have capacity to carry 40 kg of hydrogen onboard, which via the fuel cell will deliver energy to 105 kWh of batteries. The model also features a regenerative braking system which can also deliver electricity back to the batteries.

While interest in hydrogen-powered transport in Europe remains, there are still issues related to sourcing the hydrogen fuel and the cost of per kilo.

While this could also be a problem in Brazil, a team at Sao Paulo University is reported to have developed a system which could reform ethanol into hydrogen for use in the fuel cell stack.

Due to the biomass feedstock used to produce ethanol in Brazil, the hydrogen would qualify as ‘green’, ultimately delivering virtually zero-emission transport.

Testing of the new GWM fuel cell truck will continue, with a focus on such areas as temperature and altitude tests, together with road surface and overall hydrogen consumption.