Future role of heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles in the decarbonization of the freight transport

As the world shifts towards cleaner and more sustainable transportation solutions, understanding the requirements and implications of hydrogen fuel cell technology in heavy-duty vehicles is crucial for informing industry developments and policy decisions. The objective of this paper is to investigate the hydrogen consumption and powertrain efficiency of heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles (HDFCVs) in various vehicle segments and powertrain designs. To achieve this, a comprehensive methodology was employed, involving the integration of reference HDFCV models into the VECTO platform, simulation of different powertrain architectures using MATLAB Simulink, and estimation of current and future hydrogen demand for the heavy-duty vehicle fleet. The key results of this study indicate that the design spaces presented can serve as a baseline for industry stakeholders to select optimal battery sizes, fuel cell system powers, and hydrogen tank sizes, thereby accelerating vehicle development. Furthermore, policymakers can utilize the data on hydrogen consumption and powertrain efficiency to define key performance indicators, estimate future hydrogen demands, and compare the environmental impact of HDFCVs with other propulsion systems. In terms of HDFCV fleet H 2 demand, addressing all the uncertainties raised in this work, it may vary from 1.6 to 2.8 Mt of H 2 yearly, implying up to 3% of the current H 2 production. Therefore, the H 2 production infrastructure is able to accommodate more ambitious H 2 -related scenarios for the HDV sector. Finally, the H 2 consumption ranges per vehicle class and powertrain design, together with the H 2 tank capacity values sized on the basis of official VECTO cycles, constitute an original reference dataset—grounded in a mathematically guaranteed minimum consumption via an optimal energy management strategy—that can be directly used by vehicle manufacturers as a baseline for preliminary powertrain and hydrogen storage system design.