GCN orders 200 electric and fuel cell electric trucks

UK-based Giga Carbon Neutrality has announced contracts for 200 FCEV and BEV commercial trucks in partnership with Xuzhou Machinery Group (XCMG) and Sunrise Power.

GCN is a clean energy trucking and technology company. Its portfolio includes battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, clean energy storage, charging and refuelling infrastructure, and specialist financing to support the transition to ZE vehicles. It also offers Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) contracts.

Together with XCMG and Sunrise Power, GCN plans to invest Rmb2.3B ($360M) to establish a new plant in Ordos city, China to manufacture clean energy commercial vehicles, hydrogen power systems and associated equipment in Ordos City, China. Sales and marketing will focus on the Chinese and wider Asian markets. The first vehicles are available to order now, for delivery in 2022.

Marty Wade, GCN’s CEO, said: “This a milestone deal for GCN and clean energy commercial transportation. We believe this contract for 200 vehicles is the amongst the biggest signed with any company for hydrogen and battery EV trucks so far and that it will make GCN one of the leading providers of hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles worldwide.”

Like Tesla, GCN is a disrupter, entering the commercial trucking market from a non-diesel starting point, but this is the way ahead. Electric trucks have already gained acceptance in developed markets in certain types of application and, albeit from still a low base, fuel cell electric vehicle numbers are growing, to provide longer operating range.

The involvement of XCMG in the GCN partnership could be significant. The company is said to be China’s number one and the world’s number three construction machinery company and already has a presence in the terminal tractor market.

XCMG is currently supplying its XPT70E terminal tractor to the “intelligent container terminal” being built in the Beijiang Area of the Port of Tianjin, as an integral part of the “intelligent horizontal transportation system”. Project partners include Huawei. The first phase was officially put into operation in October.

For more information visit www.gigacarbonneutrality.com

20th December 2021