CMB.TECH and Ford Otosan have announced a new partnership for the conversion of Ford F-Max trucks to dual-fuel hydrogen trucks, using ground-breaking hydrogen technology. The trucks will be converted in CMB.TECH’s Dual Fuel workshop in Antwerp, with the goal of delivering the first trucks in 2023 and to further scaling up the concept.
Ford Otosan and CMB.TECH have stepped into a collaboration that will be crucial in the transportation industry’s transition towards greener alternatives. As a result of this partnership, customers will likely have quick access to hydrogen solutions that will be instrumental in ushering in a more environmentally friendly era in the sector.
CMB.TECH will be responsible for the conversion of the trucks to dual-fuel hydrogen trucks using its extensive hydrogen knowledge and expertise. Thanks to the proven reliability of the Ford F-Max trucks, CMB.TECH can focus entirely on integrating the new dual-fuel technology. The conversion process requires no adjustments to the traditional diesel engine, only a hydrogen injection ring is added to the airline, making the concept highly scalable. With dual-fuel technology, hydrogen is aspirated into the combustion chamber, requiring less diesel injection to power the engine.
The conversion process starts with the mounting of the hydrogen tanks on the trucks and the installation of CMB.TECH’s injection ring on the engine. Next, the engine control unit is installed. Thereafter, the quality control and validation of the dual-fuel hydrogen trucks take place. The conversion to CMB.TECH’s hydrogen truck can reduce traditional fuel usage and associated emissions, while keeping a diesel backup solution for those moments when hydrogen refuelling is not possible.
While dual-fuel technology is only a short-term fix, this collaboration will allow the deployment of hydrogen-powered trucks throughout many continents, including Europe, ahead of the widespread adoption of mono-fuel hydrogen ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) motor and FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) technologies.
Commenting on the partnership, CTO of CMB.TECH – Roy Campe, said: “After 3 years of working together, I am pleased that we can officially announce the collaboration between Ford Otosan and CMB.TECH. The concept we worked on is simple and has the potential to scale up massively. We can use their trucks which can be modified in three days at any dual-fuel workshop. Together with Ford Otosan, we are ready to scale up further throughout Europe by bringing a low-carbon, affordable and robust solution for heavy-duty long-haul road transport.”
The partnership between CMB.TECH and Ford Otosan marks a significant step towards the development of hydrogen technology in the truck manufacturing industry. With both companies’ expertise, the collaboration aims to contribute to the energy transition’s innovative demands.
“We are proud at Ford Otosan to have started working on mono-fuel hydrogen ICE motors and FCEVs, and we recently revealed the ignition of our hydrogen ICE single-cylinder motor. In our opinion, this partnership with CMB.TECH on the dual-fuel solution will be a crucial reference for our continued work. We anticipate that these advancements will encourage the widespread use of hydrogen ICE motors and FCEVs, resulting in a more sustainable future for all of us by boosting hydrogen demand and promoting the acceleration of hydrogen supply,” said Burak Hosgoren, Ford Trucks’ International Markets Western Europe Director.
This collaboration is a natural next step, given the successful collaboration of CMB.TECH and Ford over the past two decades. This partnership offers significant potential for the future, and both parties have the utmost confidence that it will lead to further achievements.
About CMB and CMB.TECH
CMB (Compagnie Maritime Belge) is a diversified shipping and cleantech group based in Antwerp, Belgium. CMB owns and operates 150 seagoing vessels in dry bulk (Bocimar), container transport (Delphis), chemical tankers (Bochem) & crew transfer vessels (Windcat). CMB is also active in cleantech (CMB.TECH) and real estate (MCA Facilities, Maritime Campus Antwerp). CMB has offices in Japan, Namibia, Singapore, China, Germany, UK and The Netherlands. Visit ourwebsite and follow us on LinkedIn.
CMB.TECH is a cleantech company that builds, owns, operates & designs large marine and industrial applications that run on hydrogen and ammonia. CMB.TECH also offers hydrogen and ammonia fuel to its customers, either through own production or by sourcing it from third party producers. Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn.