HYZON Motors (HYZON), a global supplier of hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles, has entered into a strategic alliance with Viva Energy.
HYZON, established as a new business of Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, leverages Horizon’s almost two decades of experience in hydrogen fuel cell development including the supply of around 500 hydrogen fuel cell systems powering zero-emission trucks and buses to customers globally.
HYZON states that its next-generation Gen-3 automotive fuel cell technology has been confirmed as the highest power density fuel cell stack in the world by third-party testing, making it ideally suited to power trucks and buses over long distances on Australian roads.
Viva Energy and HYZON intend to work together to provide zero-emission vehicles coupled with hydrogen refuelling solutions to customers, delivering a complete turn-key hydrogen transport solution.
Viva Energy has committed to making a small strategic investment of US$4 million in HYZON as part of capital raising and listing on the NASDAQ stock exchange, via its merger with Decarbonisation Plus Acquisition Corporation announced this week.
Viva Energy CEO, Scott Wyatt, said that by working closely with HYZON, which is experienced at developing vehicles for markets worldwide, Viva can develop an entire hydrogen transport solution – which can move it past the traditional roadblocks to establishing a hydrogen refuelling network, by getting hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road to provide the demand.
“In addition to our Gas Terminal project, this alliance helps us accelerate our Geelong Energy Hub vision through the development of hydrogen for transport and working with our existing partners and customers in providing this solution,” Mr Wyatt said.
“The HYZON alliance fits closely with our intention to explore and develop future energy solutions at our Energy Hub, where we are looking at the possibility of generating solar-powered green hydrogen.”
“The establishment of a Hydrogen Transport Hub in Geelong, while only conceptual at this stage, could be an exciting demonstration of the types of projects we could pursue through the Energy Hub,” he added.
CEO of HYZON Motors, Craig Knight, said that as a pioneer of heavy vehicle fuel cell technology, HYZON is delivering some of the world’s most powerful yet cleanest heavy vehicles to serve the global appetite for zero-emission driving with Australia a priority market.
“Hydrogen mobility for the Australian commercial vehicle sector holds enormous potential as fleets look to smoothly transition from fossil fuels to clean energy solutions that decarbonise their operations. Developing a hydrogen supply chain with strategic partners will be central to this transition,” Mr Knight said.
“This is why we are delighted to be partnering with Viva Energy, one of Australia’s largest energy companies, to drive the hydrogen mobility sector forward, with a focus on establishing Victoria and Geelong in particular, as leading hydrogen transport hubs.”
*Above image: A hydrogen fuel cell bus via. Shutterstock.