Dana selected for hydrogen fuel cell truck project

MAUMEE, Ohio—Dana Inc. was chosen to participate in a three-year, $11.2 million Alberta Zero Emissions Truck Electrification Collaboration project, through which it will contribute to the design and manufacture of heavy-duty, extended range hydrogen fuel cell electric hybrid trucks.

Dana will provide its Spicer Electrified e-Propulsion solution with integrated TM4 Sumo HP motor-inverter system to power Class 8 tractor-trailer units, which will move freight year-round between Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, according to a Dana news release.

"Dana is pleased to have been selected as a key partner for this enterprising hydrogen fuel project, " said Mark Wallace, president of Dana commercial vehicle driveline technologies. "It marks another step in the innovation continuum as the industry transitions to zero-emission transportation."

The 64-metric-ton B-train tractor trailers will be capable of traveling up to 430 miles between refueling, and will be operated by Alberta trucking companies Trimac Transportation Ltd. and Bison Transport Inc., Dana said. By the end of the project, the trucks will have carried about 12 million ton-miles of freight.

The custom Spicer e-system has a hauling capacity of 140,000 pounds. Its design reduces weight and allows for more hydrogen fuel storage, while high-speed helical gearing provides greater overall efficiency, Dana said. Its TM4 Sumo HP motor-inverter system specifically was designed for high-power applications and multi-speed gearboxes.

The three-year project will test hydrogen as a zero-emissions alternative fuel to diesel for freight transportation, along with the refueling infrastructure and other systems. It also will investigate the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and airborne pollutants in Alberta's freight transportation sector.

Emissions Reduction Alberta is committing more than $5.55 million to the AZETEC project, with the investment coming from ERA's BEST Challenge, a $100 million funding opportunity for biotechnology, electricity and sustainable transportation technology, Dana said. ERA funds projects through proceeds from carbon pricing paid by large final emitters to reduce greenhouse gases and build industry resilience in Alberta.

Dana, based in Maumee, provides power conveyance and energy-management solutions for vehicles and machinery, and employs more than 36,000.