Quantron US and FirstElement Fuel today announced that Quantron will be one of the first to take advantage of FirstElement’s network of hydrogen stations designed for hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks.
The commitment between the two companies assures that Quantron customers have access to hydrogen refueling through the FirstElement station network. The announcement expands Quantron-as-a-Service, a 360-degree per-mile service that gives fleet owners access to everything required to transition to hydrogen.
The arrangement is structured to ensure reliable access to hydrogen fuel at distribution stations across its network in California. FirstElement Fuel operates the largest network of hydrogen refueling stations in the world, which was partially funded by California Energy Commission grants and during March 2023 performed over 60,000 fills and over sold over 162,000 kilograms of hydrogen. The company is now developing a network of “high flow” hydrogen stations capable of filling heavy duty, medium duty, and light duty class vehicles, with 12 stations across California as phase 1 of its development plan. The first of FirstElement Fuel’s “high flow” stations is set to open later this year near the Port of Oakland as part of a project titled NorCAL ZERO, which was jointly funded by the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and is being managed by the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE).
“Quantron is about making it easy for fleets to transition to carbon-free mobility,” said Rick Haas, Quantron US president and CEO. “By working with FirstElement, we are able to overcome the modern infrastructure challenge that limits the potential of other alternative energy sources – access to a reliable refueling network. FirstElement’s hydrogen network will allow drivers to seamlessly refuel and get back on the road, just like they would with diesel today, only now they’ll go further with zero-emission fuel.”
“We’re very grateful to the Quantron team for being the first to step up with a commitment – this will help us build out our truck station network more quickly,” said Joel Ewanick, CEO of FirstElement Fuel. “Hydrogen fueling needs to be reliable and uncomplicated, and our network will provide that convenience for Quantron’s customers so that they can offer this experience to many more operators. Fuel cells will play a huge role in the Zero Emission Truck future, and we are excited to be working with Quantron as the first of what we hope are many who will help us get our network of stations built across North America.”
Quantron US has been focused on building its Class 8 hydrogen fuel-cell trucks since it was founded late last year. Haas started as a team of one from his home/business in suburban Detroit, but efforts quickly ramped up when the company announced an agreement for an order of up to 500 Class 8 trucks with hydrogen fuel-cell electric powertrains.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology unlocks significantly more range, at a much lower weight, than other clean-energy technology such as battery vehicles. When complete, Quantron expects its trucks to offer a range of about 750 – 850 miles. They are expected to only require 10-15 minutes for refueling to 100% capacity, which is comparable to current diesel trucks on the road today and significantly quicker than electric vehicles.
Quantron US is backed by a German company with 140 years of mobility experience. In Europe, Quantron AG currently supplies many customers – including IKEA – with battery and hydrogen-electric commercial vehicles. It offers a 360-degree product and solution ecosystem around zero-emission mobility with the groundbreaking Quantron-as-a-Service product.
Quantron’s work with FirstElement Fuel helps advance development of the U.S. version of Quantron-as-a-Service. The service is an integrated solution for fleet owners to transition. It provides everything required to make carbon-free hydrogen fleets no more costly than today’s diesel fleets: FCEV trucks, hydrogen fuel, designated fueling stations, maintenance and repairs, and insurance. By pairing best-in-class systems in the vehicle with its 360-degree service, Quantron makes it simple for fleets to begin the transition to carbon-free mobility.
