May 10, 2024

Hydrogen Trucks Through The Lens of a 9 Year Old

49 minutes

Jon Summers is the Motoring Historian. He was a company car thrashing technology sales rep that turned into a fairly inept sports bike rider. On his show he gets together with various co-hosts to talk about new and old cars, driving, motorbikes, motor racing, motoring travel.

In this episode, Jon and his son Oliver delve into the world of hydrogen trucks during a visit to the Port of Oakland. They attend a presentation at a hydrogen fueling station, learning about the environmental benefits and challenges of hydrogen technology over traditional diesel and battery-electric trucks. Jon and Oliver explore the technical aspects of hydrogen refueling and compare Hyundai and Nikola trucks, discussing their design and potential in the trucking industry. The insights from various experts highlight the importance of hydrogen in achieving zero-emission goals.

Jerry Reed - East Bound and Down

J & Son attend the opening of the world’s first big rig hydrogen station, with associated government and electric truck razzamatazz

The Press Conference and a digression on nomenclature

What colour is “pickle”? An existential discussion

The First Element dude

The Carb Lady

The Hyundai dude (with the waistcoat that rode up)

A Good Question from the LA Times; how clean is the wrap around technology?

The Cummins rep and people who leave the rock show before the encore is over

J’s digression on getting stuck in muddy car parks at Silverstone, and sleeping in the company Vectra

O’s digression on his favorite car - Texaco/Havoline Porsche 962 and Joe’s Soft Serve

“The Science Bit”, which J didn’t understand “A dude with a beard and no hair…..and a bunch of pipes in a shipping container”

O operates the Actual Gas Pump for Hydrogen

O mocks his father’s skills with Podcastle

True Zero

Hyundai

Nikola - which requires a different pump attachment to “hydrogen up”

J chat’s with Hyundai rep: “why now?”

Hydrogen is not competing with Diesel, rather with BEVs for last mile/fixed routes, because -

400-500 miles range (diesel trucks might do 800/day)

Better Payload

Faster refueling

Better vs. natural disasters

The hydrogen station as a single point of failure; may work for some fleet applications, but not right for over the road owner driver truckers

Visual bait and switch - looks like a cabover sleeper truck, but actually what looks like the sleeper hides the hydrogen tanks/. Which “look like missiles”.

“If California is to meet it’s zero emissions goal in 2046, hydrogen must be part of the solution”

So how fully baked is this? J was less convinced after a drive around the Port of Oakland and chatting with real truckers

O reviews the two trucks; Nikola seemed far more wholistic, next generational design, while the Hyundai felt more of the parts bin special it is.

The game changer of one pedal driving; O feels he could drive it, J feels we are very close to autonomy

The challenge is clearly around the delivery of hydrogen, not the trucks

J feels soon the smell and noise of diesel will soon be like cigarette smoke in bars - recently gone, and already forgotten

Rainbow - Man On The Silver Mountain

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Copyright Jon Summers, The Motoring Historian. This content is also available via jonsummers.net. This episode is part of the Motoring Podcast Network and has been republished with permission.

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