Kenworth Reveals T680 Truck Powered By Hydrogen Fuel Cell

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This custom-built T680 runs on a hydrogen fuel cell and lithium-ion batteries, which results in zero emissions. (Photo courtesy of PACCAR.)

Kenworth is always looking for new ways to make its trucks more energy efficiency and environmentally friendly without sacrificing power, and that’s exactly what it plans to achieve with its zero-emission Kenworth T680 day cab truck. The company unveiled the new T680, which runs on a hydrogen fuel cell, at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and it will be shown at the PACCAR Innovations booth exhibit during the convention. It’s the first time either PACCAR or Kenworth have exhibited at CES.

Looking Ahead To A Zero-Emission Future

Kenworth’s new T680 day cab came about when the company joined the Zero Emission Cargo Transport (ZECT) project, which operates in the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in Southern California. What makes the truck unique is that it uses the hydrogen fuel cell to not only charge the lithium-ion batteries responsible for powering the vehicle, but also to other systems, including the brake air compressor and power steering. The hybrid drive system, in fact, decides where to send energy based on the needs of the vehicle at any given time.

As you might have been able to guess based on the day cab configuration, the hydrogen fuel cell T680 has a somewhat limited range of 150 miles (241 kilometers), but that certainly doesn’t limit its capabilities when it comes to local deliveries and regional hauling. In fact, the dual-rotor traction engine is still able to generate 565 horsepower, which makes it powerful enough to operate as a Class 8 vehicle. The truck itself is a culmination of a $2.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the aforementioned partnership with ZECT and the SCAQMD. Kenworth is already working on a follow-up project to build a near-zero-emission T680 day cab truck that uses a natural gas engine and generator combination.

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The existing T680 comes in a variety of potential configurations, but all of them are focused on maximum fuel efficiency without sacrificing power. (Photo courtesy of PACCAR.)

The Existing T680

The Kenworth T680 that you can actually go out and buy today is a powerhouse in its own right and is available both in day cab configurations as well as in multiple sleeper models. These trucks are powered by PACCAR MX engines which can provide anywhere from 335 horsepower and 1,150 foot-pounds (1,559 newton-meters) of torque up to 510 horsepower and 1,850 foot-pounds (2,508 newton-meters) of torque depending on the model in question. You have the choice between a 12.9 PACCAR MX-13 engine or a 10.8-liter six-cylinder PACCAR MX-11, which is the one designed more for regional workloads.

Source: PACCAR