Verne and its industry partners announced the completion of the heavy-duty Class 8 truck powered by cryo-compressed H₂ (CcH₂). Verne’s CcH₂ fuel storage system maximizes H₂ storage density, increasing vehicle range while decreasing vehicle weight and storage system cost. Verne showcased the truck at the Alberta Motor Transport Association Innovation Expo in Edmonton, where fleets had the chance to inspect the completed truck. Verne will soon begin drive testing of the truck in advance of multiple commercial pilots.

Verne’s cryo-compressed H₂ technology involves cooling and compressing H₂ to achieve the maximum H₂ density of 73 g/L, a 33% improvement over liquid H₂ and an 87% improvement over traditional 700 bar compressed gas H₂. Heavy-duty transportation is responsible for 12% of global CO₂ emissions, and current zero emission options fail to meet the range and payload requirements of heavy-duty truck fleets. Increasing H₂ density allows heavy-duty vehicles to store more energy onboard while using fewer heavy, expensive storage tanks.

The first-of-kind cryo-compressed H₂ truck uses Diesel Tech Industries’ Guardian H₂ Diesel System, which is a retrofit of a traditional diesel engine to enable the vehicle to run on a blend of diesel and H₂. DTI’s Guardian H₂ Diesel System can serve as an important bridge technology for the trucking industry, as it allows fleets to trial H₂ fueling and driving without requiring investment in a new fleet of trucks.

Verne and DTI will demonstrate the range and payload improvements of high-density CcH₂ fuel with the Guardian H₂ Diesel System. Verne will conduct demonstrations and commercial pilots with leading vehicle manufacturers and fleets in Canada and the United States using dual-fuel engines, H₂ combustion engines and H₂ fuel cells, as it believes that all three technologies will play an important role in decarbonizing the heavy-duty transportation sector.

Verne previously achieved a CcH₂ storage record during a stationary demonstration of a 29 kg storage system at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and completed drive testing of a fuel cell electric vehicle powered by CcH₂ with a leading global vehicle manufacturer. Verne is also applying its unique CcH₂ technology to H₂ densification and distribution to bring down the cost of delivering H₂ by as much as 40%. This novel distribution platform will accelerate the use of H₂ in several sectors that currently rely on diesel, including heavy-duty trucks and off-road equipment. 

“Demonstrating the first Class 8 truck powered by cryo-compressed H₂ will be a major milestone for the H₂ industry and a big step towards decarbonizing trucking at scale,” said Ted McKlveen, Verne Co-founder &CEO.

“Diesel Tech Industries is thrilled to partner with Verne in integrating the Verne CcH₂ system with our Guardian H₂ Diesel System. This collaboration allows us to maximize onboard H₂ storage while maintaining the flexibility and reliability of the diesel engine. The seamless retrofit of this dual-fuel solution—without altering the truck's wheelbase—meets our customers' demands for extended range and fewer tanks, all while enabling the use of sleeper cabs. This partnership underscores our commitment to driving the energy transition in heavy-duty trucking, setting new standards for sustainability and operational efficiency," said Rebecca Goldsack, COO of Diesel Tech Industries, who led integration of the vehicle.

Verne was supported on this project by Alberta Innovates through their H₂ Centre of Excellence program. “Alberta Innovates positions Alberta as a world leader in the innovative production, deployment, and use of H₂ across our economy. The CcH₂ technology on this truck is an important step forward to broadening the use of H₂ in the transportation industry and meeting the goals of the 5,000 H₂ vehicle challenge,” said David Van Den Assem, Director of the H₂ Centre of Excellence at Alberta Innovates.

Edmonton Global introduced the 5,000 H₂ Vehicle Challenge, which aims to deploy 5,000 H₂ or dual-fuel vehicles in Western Canada over the next five years. “Verne’s innovative technology and partnership with Diesel Tech Industries is a clear demonstration of the coordinated and aggressive action taking place in the Edmonton Metro Region to drive H₂ technology adoption in our commercial transportation sector. This announcement adds to the growing momentum behind the 5,000 H₂ Vehicle Challenge and is another important piece to the infrastructure needed to support the transition. Congratulations to Verne and DTI on this exciting milestone,” added Malcolm Bruce, CEO of Edmonton Global.