HVS presents the hydrogen truck which has a driving range of up to 500 km

Glasgow, Scotland-based Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) has just unveiled what it claims is the future of hydrogen-powered long-haul transportation.

The vehicle is designed by the company itself and offers industry-leading solutions when it comes to aerodynamics, powertrain and ergonomics.

HVS is a fairly young company, only founded in 2017 in Glasgow, its main focus is the design and development of commercial hydrogen powered vehicles.

The team behind the first vehicle consists of industry specialists with experience in automotive engineering and design, hydrogen technology, power electronics, sustainability and environmental management.

What's interesting about the new truck – apart from its innovative engine – is the fact that it comes with a defined route to market.

The company made great efforts to secure partnerships with strategic suppliers and one of them is EG Group specializing in hydrogen fuel infrastructure.

When the truck eventually becomes operational, fueling stations and fleet customer bases will be ready, it reports Arena Ev, Telegrafi reports.

The results are quite interesting, the cabin is much easier to access, there is more space inside and the ergonomics are much improved. The efficiency of the truck has also improved tremendously and the truck itself looks pretty good.

The powertrain uses pressurized hydrogen to power fuel cells, which in turn produce electricity that is stored in batteries to power the rear axle.

There's also an F1 connection here – the truck uses KERS to recover energy while braking or decelerating – technology first introduced to F1 in 2009.

According to the company, the hydrogen fuel cells allow the truck a longer driving range and higher payload capacity and faster recharging than a comparable electric truck powered by lithium-ion batteries.

This also means lower running costs, but when compared to diesel trucks, the costs are apparently similar.

HVS argues that fuel time and range are far more important to trucking companies and make sense in an environment where every minute counts.

But battery trucks are cheaper than diesel or hydrogen to run, and whether companies can make more money or spend less money – it's going to be a tough race.

Hydrogen can feel more "natural" - refueling a car or a truck is similar, takes about the same amount of time. In many cases, refueling infrastructure is easier to install than DC charging stations – especially for heavy vehicles.