Hydrogen fuel-cell engines are an exciting technology and a renewable alternative to electric vehicles. While the technology has come a long way, it faces on major hurdle for mass adoption – infrastructure. The network of electric vehicle plugin points has grown immensely fast, while hydrogen fuel stations are only easily accessible in a couple of places around the world, like the west coast in the US.
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While few believe we will see mass adoption of fuel-cell passenger vehicles, the prospect of using the technology to power heavy duty vehicles is still an exciting opportunity. To this end, Sasol is planning to build hydrogen refuelling infrastructure along the N3, which is our busiest stretch of road for shipping goods.
There is only one by-product of hydrogen fuel-cell engines – water.
Sasol is partnering with Toyota to build the refuelling station(s) along the highway route which connects the Johannesburg and Durban metropolitan areas.
According to Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler, they will use a prototype truck in the pilot phase of the project, which is currently being built by Toyota back in Japan.
The joint venture will also help in defining how the infrastructure would potentially be installed at scale. Building the stations is only the first step – having enough fuel available is one of the bigger challenges the project faces.
“Our partnership with Toyota, which will include other partners over time, aims to build a sustainable end-to-end infrastructure for hydrogen mobility,” Grobler said.
