Oregon State University, Daimler Trucks team up for SuperTruck program

The Oregon State University College of Engineering is teaming up with Daimler Trucks North America to develop a zero-emission heavy-duty truck capable of regional and long-haul freight deliveries as part of the SuperTruck program.

According to a news release, Oregon State University researchers Yue Cao and Alan Fern plan to use advanced electrical propulsion and artificial intelligence research to create the power electronics, motor drive technology and energy management tools for a hydrogen fuel cell truck tractor with a 600-mile range, a 25,000-hour cell life, and a payload capacity equivalent to that of a diesel truck.

“It’s exciting to be able to team up with Daimler toward the extremely important goal of lowering emissions without compromising the trucking industry’s ability to perform the vital job of moving consumer goods, industrial supplies and other key items around the country,” Fern said in a statement.

The SuperTruck work by Oregon State is part of $25.8 million awarded by the Department of Energy to Daimler Trucks North America.

Overall, the Department of Energy has awarded nearly $200 million to fund 25 projects geared toward putting cleaner cars and trucks on America’s roads and improving the nation’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

The Department of Energy awarded a total of $127 million to five heavy-vehicle manufacturers in the latest round of SuperTruck funding, the third since the department Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy launched the initiative in 2009:

• Paccar was awarded nearly $33 million to develop 18 Class-8 battery electric and fuel cell vehicles with advanced batteries and a megawatt charging station also are planned to be developed and demonstrated.
• Volvo Group North America was awarded more than $18 million to develop a 400-mile-range Class 8 battery electric tractor-trailer with advanced aerodynamics, electric braking, electric vehicle-optimized tires, automation, and route planning. A megawatt charging station are expected to be developed and demonstrated.
• Daimler Trucks North America was awarded nearly $26 million to develop and demonstrate two Class 8 fuel cell trucks with a 600-mile range, 25,000-hour durability, and equivalent payload capacity and range to diesel.
• Ford Motor Co. was awarded nearly $25 million to develop and demonstrate five hydrogen fuel cell electric Class 6 Super Duty trucks targeting cost, payload, towing, and refueling times that are equivalent to conventional gasoline trucks.
• General Motors was awarded more than $26 million to develop and demonstrate four hydrogen fuel cell and four battery-electric Class 4-6 trucks. The project also is intended to focus on the development of clean hydrogen via electrolysis and clean power for fast charging.

“Getting to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 means we must aggressively cut down the largest source of emissions: the transportation sector,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in a statement. “(The Department of Energy’s) first two SuperTruck initiatives led the biggest truck makers in the American semi market to take massive leaps in fuel efficiency. This new funding triples down on that progress with a push towards electrifying trucks of all sizes, along with efforts to expand EV charging access and develop low-emission car engines.” LL