ROTTERDAM, 10 May 2023 – In a move towards sustainable mobility, Rotterdam municipality recently acquired its first hydrogen-powered pick-up truck. The city's commitment to environmental goals is underscored by this acquisition, with plans in place for all city vehicles to be zero-emission by 2030.
Presentation of the hydrogen-powered pick-up
During the World Hydrogen Summit, the keys to the hydrogen-fueled H2X pick-up truck were handed over to Robert Simons, a city official, by Chris Reitz from H2X Global and Nitin Biharie from Mobihy. The pick-up truck, called the H2X Warrego, is set to be used in the Kralingse Bos (Kralingen Forest) to support the rangers in their daily tasks.
Robert Simons, responsible for the Harbour and Economy sector, expressed his views on Rotterdam's ambitions. He stated that the acquisition of the hydrogen-powered pick-up puts the city's aim to become Europe's Hydrogen Hub into practice. Furthermore, the municipality's support allows for the continued development of technology and business cases, leading to economic activity and employment for the city.
Supporting innovation and start-ups
Rotterdam has an active role in supporting innovative projects and start-ups like HYGRO's mobility branch, Mobihy. With support from the municipality, Mobihy gets the opportunity to continue developing as a specialist in the field of hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles and to demonstrate the practical use of such vehicles.
Features of the H2X Warrego pick-up
The H2X Warrego pick-up truck, supplied by Mobihy, emits no CO2 and has a range of over 400 kilometers. Its off-road performance is comparable to diesel-powered vehicles, but the Warrego is considerably quieter during operation. This vehicle will soon be used by the city's rangers.
Douke Visserman from Mobihy and Chris Reitz from H2X Global both share the view that hydrogen is a promising energy carrier in transport, particularly for commercial vehicles and the transport sector.
The Smart Energy Systems programme
The acquisition of the pick-up truck is a direct outcome of the city's efforts through the 'Smart Energy Systems' programme. This programme aims to accelerate private innovation in the field of energy transition, including innovations like the hydrogen wind turbine and the 'wind to wheel' concept from HYGRO.
Rotterdam: Europe's Hydrogen Hub
Rotterdam is actively positioning itself as Europe's Hydrogen Hub. The acquisition of the first hydrogen pick-up truck from H2X is a practical step in this direction. By using this vehicle, experience and knowledge about the use of hydrogen vehicles within the municipality can be gained. Also, it helps develop hydrogen production capacity and infrastructure. The city will use these lessons to determine further steps towards a completely climate-neutral vehicle fleet.
Location of the event
The World Hydrogen Summit took place at the RDM Rotterdam, a former shipyard turned innovation showcase area. Located in the Harbour area of Rotterdam, the RDM campus is easily accessible by public transport, car or bike. Known for its industrial heritage and innovative atmosphere, the area is an ideal backdrop for an event like the World Hydrogen Summit.
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