Luxfer Gas Cylinders is helping to power a fleet of zero-emission refuse trucks manufactured by E-Trucks Europe to reduce the CO₂ produced during waste collection. The 10-strong fleet is currently being used in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, where all waste collection vehicles must be zero-emission by 2030.

E-Trucks initially designed and built electric trucks for collecting refuse. However, the six-hour lifespan of electric batteries led designers to consider H₂ fuel, enabling the vehicles to operate for far longer. Depending on the size of the H₂ tank, which can be 15, 20 or 30kg volume, the trucks can run for two days before requiring refuel. It is estimated that each H₂ refuse truck makes a saving of 30,000 kg of CO₂/yr.

The partnership between E-Trucks and Luxfer began in 2013, when the transport company consulted Luxfer on its proof-of-concept H₂ vehicle. E-Trucks’ first three H₂ waste collection trucks were built in 2018; it now runs a fleet of 10 H₂ waste collection vehicles. This includes its new H₂ truck rental program, H2RenT2.

E-Trucks Europe integrates its fully H₂-electric drive train into a truck chassis with superstructure according to the operator’s specifications.

“Luxfer has played a big part in helping to bring our initial vision to life. We consulted them because they were the only company in Europe building hydrogen storage tanks for mobility use, that had European certification, said André Beukers, CEO, E-trucks.

“We design the frames for the hydrogen cylinders, and in collaboration with Luxfer, they make the hydrogen tanks in the frames and fit them. It’s been a great, easy working partnership from the outset, and now we’ve worked together for a number of years, it’s always a very straightforward process to achieve results.

“We’ve recently built our first truck for our new rental service, which is really exciting, as it enables operators who might be considering investing in hydrogen solutions to ‘try before they buy’ - letting them see how hydrogen can work for them, ahead of making the financial commitment. Our aim for H2RenT is to make hydrogen solutions more accessible, which is essential if hydrogen is to be used to its full potential across the transportation industry. We’re looking forward to working with Luxfer to explore new possibilities as the market grows further in the coming years.”

“It’s fantastic to see the results of our work with E-Trucks Europe, and we’re proud to play a part in the positive impact their vehicles are making in Europe,” said Jim Gregory, European Business Development Manager, Luxfer Gas Cylinders. Conversions like theirs allow the hydrogen infrastructure to be tested and for demand to grow at a sustainable rate – they’re vital to the hydrogen economy. We’re excited to see E-Trucks Europe’ innovation in practice, as interest in hydrogen vehicle evolves even further.”