Governor Schwarzenegger reviewed a Hydrogen-Powered Semi Truck that will help reduce air pollution in California, particularly around the port areas of Long Beach and Los Angeles.
California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Linda Adams told those assembled, that California policies are driving technologies. This California technology was manufactured in California, by Vision Industries Corporation, and is to be used in California.
The electric truck has 535 horsepower, with a 200-mile range on one charge of it’s hydrogen fuel cell.
California policy is to reduce greenhouse gases by 25 percent by the year 2020. 30 percent of greenhouse gases are created by transportation.
Martin Schuermann, Vision Industries CEO said a typical short haul diesel truck costs around $110,000, and a Liquid Natural Gas truck costs $170,000 to $200,000.
This new truck is currently about $250,000 due to the very low production numbers. Once production reaches the 1,000 to 2,000 range, prices are expected to be between the diesel and LNG trucks.
The truck is also 30 to 35 percent cheaper to operate than any diesel truck, especially in short-haul situations, where there is a lot of stop and go traffic, because an electric motor doesn’t have to idle. This is especially noticeable when waiting in a queue to pick up a container.