Truckipedia Blog Category - Hydra Energy Scales Hydrogen Conversions of Heavy-duty Vehicles Through New Business Relationship with Major Western Canadian Commercial Vehicle Dealer Group
VANCOUVER, BC (July 21, 2022) – In its quest to rapidly scale converting heavy-duty vehicles to run on both hydrogen and diesel reducing carbon emissions up to 40% per truck, Hydra Energy has just announced its first partnership with a major commercial vehicle dealer group.
Velocity Truck Centres is the largest western Canadian-owned and operated group of Freightliner and Western Star dealerships with 13 locations across the region including centres in Prince George, B.C. and Edmonton, Alberta where Hydra has announced its first two fleet customers. Under the agreement, Velocity Truck Centres will initially provide feedback on Hydra’s four-day installation training module which their mechanics will complete to become official Hydra conversion kit installers. They will also perform maintenance going forward. Additionally, Velocity Truck Centres will service and support Hydra’s economical low-emission solution for fleet customers and provide Hydra with invaluable feedback from customers that they have established relationships with. In exchange, Hydra will provide all hydrogen conversion training to Velocity Truck Centres mechanics and hydrogen conversion technology documentation, including emissions and reliability reports, which are relevant to some of the world’s largest truck manufacturers.
“Furthering relationships like this one with Velocity Truck Centres is the fastest way for Hydra to convert more heavy-duty vehicles to run on both hydrogen and diesel. It’s also critical that we work with partners who have existing relationships with fleets so Hydra’s two-day conversion and any ongoing maintenance can be done locally,” stated Hydra CEO, Jessica Verhagen. “We’re honoured to work alongside the Velocity Truck Centres team and welcome their experienced input as we continue to perfect our economical, transition solution on the road to Net Zero.”
Added Velocity Truck Centres President, Rod Graham, “After seeing first-hand a Hydra-converted truck performing so well in the tough northern Canadian conditions of extreme cold, challenging terrain, and heavy payloads, we knew we had to learn more about the company and their solution.”
As part of this partnership, both companies are being supported by the Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE), a non-profit founded by the Government of British Columbia and Shell to enable clean energy breakthroughs that will help the province get to Net Zero, and beyond. Hydra and Velocity Truck Centres are excited for CICE’s recently awarded grant and look forward to further collaboration to ensure B.C.’s commercial transportation industry has broad access to low-carbon hydrogen and technology.
“Beyond our excitement to work with an industry leader like Velocity Truck Centres, we’re also very grateful for the support of CICE who recognizes Hydra’s role in immediately reducing B.C. emissions in one of the most challenging sectors,” added Verhagen. “Achieving Net Zero in transportation is going to take more than one type of solution so having a government that is technology neutral and supports various emissions-reduction innovations is critical and appreciated.”
In Prince George specifically, Velocity Truck Centres and Dymin will be undertaking the remaining 64 hydrogen truck conversions that will fill up at the world’s largest hydrogen refuelling station Hydra is in the process of building, scheduled to be operational by the end of 2023. For more information on the only zero-cost solution to immediately reduce a fleet’s carbon footprint, fleet owners operating on Highway 16 can reach out to info@hydra-energy.ca.
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About Hydra Energy
Hydra Energy (Hydra) is the first company to deliver a hydrogen-converted, heavy-duty truck to a paying fleet customer and the first Hydrogen-as-a-Service (HaaSTM) provider for commercial fleets looking to reduce emissions today with no up-front investment. The company’s innovative approach sources low-carbon hydrogen and provides clean fuel to fleets at diesel-equivalent prices enabling an immediate and affordable transition to cleaner trucking. By quickly converting semi-trucks with Hydra’s proprietary hydrogen-diesel, co-combustion system in exchange for long-term fuel contracts, fleet operators can reduce emissions and optimize truck performance and fuel efficiency regardless of payload and weather.
Hydra and its partners uniquely deliver real hydrogen now and are committed to making the world run better and greener when it comes to goods’ transportation. For more information, please visit www.hydraenergy.com, and follow the company on LinkedIn.
Media Contact for Hydra Energy:
Kirstin Gulbransen
kirstin@netalos.com
(480) 486-9176
Media Contact for Velocity Truck Centres:
Andrea Brown
(780) 483-8400
