By Stas Margaronis, AJOTA collaboration between the Ports of Los Angeles/ Long Beach helped finance the first in a series of zero emission hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks built by Vision Motor Corp, based in El Segundo, California. The development of a fuel cell electric truck could be a major breakthrough in developing new fuel-efficient and zero emission trucks for harbor and other trucking. The first Vision truck was delivered to Total Transportation Services, Inc. It will be picking up and delivering containers to and from the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles for the next six months as a test of the truck’s capabilities. A second truck is being delivered for testing by California Cartage Co, another local trucking firm, which will use the vehicle within its yard in the LA/LB Harbor area. Rudy Tapia, vice-president for Business Development at Vision says “the new truck has a 40% less fuel cost per mile compared to a conventional diesel truck, has a range of 200 miles and has a 540 horsepower electric motor.” The truck can pull a gross weight of 80,000 pounds. Tapia said the vehicle is an electric truck with a battery charged by a hydrogen fuel cell. This generates electricity from a reaction of hydrogen and oxygen: “There are no emissions, except water vapor.” The hydrogen fuel cell prolongs battery life: “The fuel cell charges the battery within a range not below 20% of charge and not above 80% charge so as not to spike and cause damage.” Total Transportation Services Inc has indicated that if the six month test period is satisfactory then it could order up to 400 Vision trucks. The Port of Hamburg in Germany is also looking at purchasing vehicles, Tapia said. The new vehicle was hailed by Susan Anderson Wise, Long Beach Harbor Commission president who said “this is a promising and exciting technology” and David Arian, vice president of the Los Angeles Harbor Commission who praised the collaboration “between the ports, private industry and government agencies.” Tapia said that Vision is also looking at building hydrogen fuel stations to fill the trucks and is considering sites near the LA/Long Beach ports. Lee Peterson, a spokesman for the Port of Long Beach says the Long Beach and Los Angeles ports helped fund the initial stage of development: “The cost is approximately $1 million for the project that is producing two trucks. The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles each contributed $212,500 from their Clean Air Action Plan Technology Advancement Program, and Vision is funding the rest.” This $413,000 contribution comes from funding set aside for new technology projects such as the Vision electric trucks by the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Tapia said that one truck currently costs about $270,000 to build, but receives $140,000 in tax credits and grants. This includes $40,000 in mostly federal tax credits and a $60,0000 cash grant from California’s Proposition 1B Goods Movement program that is administered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. So the cost to buyers is $130,000 which compares with a new diesel truck at around $120,000. Tapia points out that the savings in truck maintenance will be a major selling point for the electric truck because there are few moving parts compared to a diesel engine. So, for example, there is no need for lubricants to prevent wear and tear on an engine. Tapia said that building more trucks will lower the production cost while the fuel saving and reduced maintenance cost should make the new truck attractive for trucking companies in the future. Finally, Tapia said, Vision is looking at two sites in the LA/Long Beach harbor area for locating a hydrogen fueling station. Further down the line, the company will partner with a third party to build more stations if there is sufficient demand. It is possible to source hydrogen from natural gas but also from solar and wind technologies.