I’ve talked a few times before about the Vision Industries Tyrano Truck that is a combination of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HFCV-PHEV). A month ago I talked about how the hydrogen powered Tyrano was making a public appearance before California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in Sacramento.
Well, now there will be a high profile test of the H2 Tyrano Truck drivetrain technology by FedEx Freight. Of course, FedEx Freight is a well-known brand for regional and long-haul less-than-truckload (LTL) services. And LTL simply means the smaller trucks, not the long-haul tractor trailers one sees occasionally upon the highways.
Vision Industries will reconfigure a FedEx Freight LTL truck with its Tyrano technology and the vehicle will be tested for one year and then evaluated for the operational sustainability of the HFCV-PHEV technology.
According to FedEx Freight CEO Douglas G. Duncan, “It is our goal to be involved in projects such as this to further the advancement of alternative fuels that both reduce our dependence on foreign oil and are good for the environment. We are excited about technological advancements we see today in transportation and look forward to what the future holds in this arena.”
Of course FedEx is no stranger to testing hydrogen vehicles. In June 2005, FedEx partnered with General Motors to test the HydroGen3 fuel cell vehicle. Fleet testing of alternative fuel vehicles is common since the infrastructure needed is minimal. For the Tyrano fuel cell truck the testing by FedEx will closely simulate real world conditions as this hydrogen truck will also be used in a fleet setting at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA.
What was the conclusion of the Fed-Ex/Vision test truck?