Hexagon Purus, a supplier of zero-emission infrastructure and mobility solutions, was awarded a purchase order by Ford Trucks to deliver a complete hydrogen fuel storage system for the development of a Fuel Cell Electric-Powered Vehicle (FCEV) F-Max as part of the Horizon Europe project ZEFES (Zero Emission Freight EcoSystem).

As a partner in project ZEFES, a pan-European project specifically targeting the decarbonization of long-haul heavy-duty trucking in Europe, Ford Trucks will develop and deliver a fuel cell electric heavy-duty prototype F-Max truck that will operate as part of a larger fleet of zero-emission trucks collecting data from real-world operations, Hexagon Purus said.

The F-Max FCEV will be Ford Trucks’ first fuel cell-powered vehicle, developed and manufactured in Turkey, and will begin European Ten-T corridor demonstrations in 2025 as part of the ZEFES project goals.

The mobility sector is accountable for approximately 20% of annual carbon emissions globally, and hydrogen has a significant role to play in reducing these emissions, particularly in “hard to abate” sectors, Hexagon Purus said. Making green hydrogen available for use in the mobility sector is critical to reducing carbon emissions.

As a part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding program for research and innovation to tackle global challenges, project ZEFES aims specifically at addressing the decarbonization of long-haul heavy-duty freight across Europe. The project will deploy a total of nine different long-haul truck configurations split into six battery-electric- and three fuel-cell electric trucks. The nine trucks will operate for 15 months and collect driving data from real-world operations. With 40 partners from 14 countries and a total investment program of EUR 35.5 million (approx. $38 million), project ZEFES will bring together the road transport value chain to move the transportation sector one step closer to EU’s Green Deal emission targets.

Delivery of the complete hydrogen storage system is scheduled for Q1 2024.