LNK Energies says it can convert diesel Class 8 trucks to hydrogen
The startup says the setup could make hydrogen trucking cheaper to run without waiting for a new fueling network.
MIT startup LNK Energies says it has built a way to convert existing Class 8 diesel trucks to hydrogen, aiming to cut operating costs and emissions without requiring a new hydrogen fueling network. The company’s approach uses liquid organic hydrogen carriers, or LOHCs, and it says it has shrunk the on-board hydrogen reactor from shipping-container size to about a mini fridge. LNK says the truck can run with a conventional internal combustion engine using a few modifications, or with fuel cells if operators want zero combustion emissions. The startup says its total cost of ownership is 13% lower than diesel, and it expects to beat diesel at $6.50 per gallon after building 50 to 100 trucks, with a commercial-truck demo planned in 18 months.
Why it matters
For fleet operators, the pitch is a lower-cost path to hydrogen use in trucks they already own rather than a full vehicle replacement. LNK is also saying the economics improve as production scales, which matters for whether this becomes a practical option beyond a single prototype.
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Sources
- TechCrunch