The trucks are part of a three-year, $11.2 million Alberta Zero-Emissions Truck Electrification Collaboration (AZETEC) project, which involves the design and manufacture of heavy-duty, extended-range, hydrogen fuel cell electric hybrid trucks.
Dana’s custom Spicer e-System is optimized for the Canadian market with a hauling capacity of 140,000 pounds, the highest-rated electrified drivetrain system for line-haul applications. The system’s compact design reduces weight and allows for more hydrogen fuel storage, while high-speed helical gearing provides greater overall efficiency. Dana’s TM4 SUMO HP motor-inverter system was specifically designed for high-power applications, and multi-speed gearboxes.
Mark Wallace, president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies, says the project “marks another step in the innovation continuum as the industry transitions to zero-emission transportation.”
“The consortium partners share a common vision in advancing clean technologies, and we welcome the opportunity to provide Spicer electrodynamic solutions as part of these collective efforts,” he added.
The trucks, developed specifically for Alberta’s unique operating environment, will be 70-ton B-train tractor-trailers capable of traveling up to 430 miles between refueling. They will be operated by Alberta trucking companies Trimac Transportation and Bison Transport. At the conclusion of the project, the trucks will have carried more than 13 million ton-miles of freight.
The Alberta Zero-Emissions Truck Electrification Collaboration (AZETEC) project will help ensure the continuation of a timely, efficient and cost-effective supply chain of goods, transported by 64-ton B-train tractor-trailers carrying very large freight loads over long distances.
AZETEC will test hydrogen as a zero-emissions alternative fuel to diesel for freight transportation, along with the refueling infrastructure and other systems that would be required for Alberta to implement this new fuel solution. The three-year project also will investigate the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and airborne pollutants in Alberta’s freight transportation sector.
Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) is committing more than $5.5 million to the AZETEC project. This investment comes from ERA’s BEST Challenge—a $100 million funding opportunity for biotechnology, electricity, and sustainable transportation technology solutions. ERA funds projects using the proceeds from carbon pricing paid by large final emitters to reduce GHGs and build the resilience of new and incumbent industries in Alberta.
