At the press conference of hylane, a subsidiary of DEVK Versicherungen, a zero-emission light truck with fuel cell technology from the specialist for sustainable passenger and freight transportation, Quantron AG, was symbolically handed over. The vehicle marks the start of a partnership to decarbonize the last mile. hylane is planning a fleet of zero-emission QUANTRON transporters that will be rented out on a pay-per-use model. The first customer for the QUANTRON QLI FCEV vehicles is a company from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, which will use the transporters for last-mile deliveries.

The QUANTRON QLI FCEV is the first fuel cell vehicle in the 5t class on the German market. Equipped with a 45kW fuel cell from QUANTRON's technology partner Ballard Power Systems and a 150-kW electric motor, the vehicle offers an impressive range of up to 450 kilometers with a tank capacity of 8.2kg of H₂. The refueling time is only about 10 minutes. The H₂-powered vehicles are specifically designed for use in regions with insufficient charging infrastructure, where battery electric vehicles are impractical due to their limited range.

The zero-emission properties of the QUANTRON QLI FCEV allow it to be exempt from tolls in Germany, unlike diesel vehicles over 3.5 tons, which will be subject to tolls from July 2024.

Sara Schiffer, Managing Director of hylane said, “With the H₂ transporters from QUANTRON, we are adding vehicles to our fleet that have been specifically designed for use on the 'last mile'. We are convinced that fuel cell technology is ideally suited to meeting the key challenges of urban transportation: The low noise pollution of the transporters will help to make our cities quieter and more livable. Furthermore, the speed of the refueling process is invaluable for our users and their operations. We are also impressed by the weight efficiency of QUANTRON vehicles, which not only improves range but also maximizes payload. This is a key advantage for 'last mile' deliveries, where flexibility and efficiency are top priorities.”

Andreas Haller, founder and Executive Chairman of Quantron AG said, “We are very pleased about the partnership. hylane and QUANTRON are united by our commitment to innovative transportation solutions. With the use of the H₂-electric QUANTRON QLI FCEV, we are pioneering emission-free freight transportation on the last mile. However, the demand for emission-free solutions is also increasing in the heavy commercial vehicle sector. H₂ is an attractive alternative due to its short refueling times and long ranges. hylane and QUANTRON are therefore exploring further cooperation in the heavy truck sector."