Hydrogen fuel cell trial returns after 20 years

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Spectronik chief executive Jogjaman Jap (left) and chief operating officer Zarli Maung Maung with the company's hydrogen fuel cell van "Cruiser".

The first hydrogen-powered light commercial vehicle in Singapore will be on trial for a year at JTC’s Jurong Innovation District, starting in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The small flatbed truck retrofitted by Singapore-based fuel cell specialist Spectronik can carry a load of up to 1 tonne, has a range of 500km and top speed of 44kmh, and can be refuelled within five minutes.

Hydrogen fuel cells are batteries that generate electricity via a chemical process between hydrogen – contained in a pressurised tank – and oxygen in the air.

This is the second hydrogen fuel cell vehicle trial here. In 2003, a small fleet of Mercedes-Benz A-class fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) were on trial here. They were refuelled at a hydrogen kiosk set up at a BP station in Upper East Coast Road. It did not proceed further because the technology was deemed not cost-effective.

However, interest in the technology has been rekindled by a clean energy push in several developed countries.

Companies such as Hyundai, BMW and Toyota are among those with a small fleet of FCEVs which they lease to end-users.

The Spectronik truck, converted from an Italian small battery electric truck, will be driven around the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous Vehicles at Nanyang Technological University to ensure it is safe before it goes out on road trials in JTC CleanTech Park in Jurong West.

The truck’s two hydrogen tanks will be swopped with fresh ones when they are empty, as there are no hydrogen refuelling points here.

Spectronik is also working on running hydrogen fuel cell pilots with fleet operators such as food and parcel delivery companies.

Spectronik chief executive Jogjaman Jap said the trials with the 1-tonne truck “will provide proof of concept for the viability of hydrogen fuel in the commercial fleet vehicle space”.

He added: “It will enable prospective customers to experience hydrogen transport solutions first-hand and help us engage with potential customers and provide data to inform the development and production of future vehicles.”

According to Mr Jap, hydrogen fuel cells have a longer range than battery electric vehicles, and are significantly faster to refuel. Like battery electric vehicles, they do not produce any tailpipe emissions.

In the next five years, Spectronik targets to put a fleet of hydrogen FCEVs – such as vans and minibuses – on public roads, alongside a hydrogen refuelling station to serve these vehicles.

He said fuel cells designed by Spectronik are the most cost-competitive in the industry.

“We have a collaboration with Toyota Motor, which uses our fuel cells for their football-playing robots featured in the last World Cup,” he added.

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association of Singapore said it is currently working on a technical reference for hydrogen refuelling stations together with industry experts.

The truck’s two hydrogen tanks will be swopped with fresh ones when they are empty, as there are no hydrogen refuelling points here.

Spectronik is also working on running hydrogen fuel cell pilots with fleet operators such as food and parcel delivery companies.

Spectronik chief executive Jogjaman Jap said the trials with the 1-tonne truck “will provide proof of concept for the viability of hydrogen fuel in the commercial fleet vehicle space”.

He added: “It will enable prospective customers to experience hydrogen transport solutions first-hand and help us engage with potential customers and provide data to inform the development and production of future vehicles.”

According to Mr Jap, hydrogen fuel cells have a longer range than battery electric vehicles, and are significantly faster to refuel. Like battery electric vehicles, they do not produce any tailpipe emissions.

In the next five years, Spectronik targets to put a fleet of hydrogen FCEVs – such as vans and minibuses – on public roads, alongside a hydrogen refuelling station to serve these vehicles.

He said fuel cells designed by Spectronik are the most cost-competitive in the industry.

“We have a collaboration with Toyota Motor, which uses our fuel cells for their football-playing robots featured in the last World Cup,” he added.

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association of Singapore said it is currently working on a technical reference for hydrogen refuelling stations together with industry experts.

Spectronik plans to expand its fuel cell research and development, advanced manufacturing and testing facilities at JTC CleanTech.

Mr Anil Das, director of JTC’s logistics and transport cluster, said: “Spectronik’s hydrogen-powered vehicle trials represent a new milestone in the path towards developing a range of sustainable mobility solutions in Jurong Innovation District for fleet operators here and regionally.

“JTC remains committed to supporting companies like Spectronik that are keen on establishing novel ways to decarbonise mobility in Singapore.”

Other companies operating in the innovation district include Japanese bicycle components maker Shimano, Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor and German engineering group Siemens.

Currently, Spectronik has a retrofitted hydrogen fuel cell forklift, which is on trial at gas supplier Air Liquide’s plant in Tuas.

Other customers using its technology include Aisan Kogyo, SAIC Motor, China Aerospace and Science Corp, Boeing, Japan Railways and Yamaha.

Asked for the company’s revenue in 2022, Mr Jap said it was competitive information, but The Straits Times understands it was around $1 million.

Meanwhile, port operator PSA will be taking delivery of its first hydrogen fuel cell prime movers at the end of 2023.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.