Tom’s Truck Center, a provider of commercial truck sales and service and part of the Nikola sales and service dealer network, has introduced a hydrogen refueling station onsite at a commercial truck dealership.
The Nikola HYLA modular hydrogen refueling station for the heavy-duty transportation sector is located onsite at Tom’s Truck Center’s Santa Fe Springs location in Los Angeles County along Highway 5. The high-pressure (700-bar) dispensing equipment allows for reliable turnaround times, refueling up to 30 trucks daily.
The station will operate with the help of HYLA Ambassadors/Operations Technicians for efficient service. The setup of the station minimizes downtime for heavy-duty trucks requiring refueling, such as the Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle.
“This station allows us to support our customers who choose hydrogen units by offering the necessary infrastructure,” said Tom’s Truck Center President and CEO KC Heidler. “By partnering with HYLA and making hydrogen refueling accessible, we’re significantly reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and setting new standards in clean transportation.”
While other HYLA hydrogen refueling locations include Long Beach and Ontario in California, 14 hydrogen refueling solutions are expected to be operational by the end of 2024. Tom’s Truck Center aims for a permanent hydrogen refueling station predicted to be completed by the end of 2026.
Local natural gas utility Southern California Gas Co., owned by Sempra, has vowed to work on building out a hydrogen pipeline infrastructure called the Angeles Link. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach also are coordinating regional hydrogen supply hubs with the help of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Hydrogen (H2) does not contain carbon in its chain, so does not emit the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide when combusted. However, H2 can produced commercially one of two ways: by steam reforming of methane gas, which is carbon intensive, or by electrolyzers which split the hydrogen from water.
To be considered truly “green” hydrogen, the electrolyzers must be powered by carbon-free resources such as solar, wind, hydro or nuclear.
Nikola Corp. has built its HYLA refueling stations at the Port of Long Beach to serve Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell trucks. Fuel cells uses an electrochemical process converting a fuel such as natural gas or H2 into electricity for powering vehicles.
The company has moved forward focusing on H2 technologies and fuels after surviving near bankruptcy and the conviction of its founder, Trevor Milton, on multiple federal fraud counts related his hyping up of the business.
Since then, though, Nikola has benefitted from H2 trucking deals with numerous customers.
