Food distributor Performance Food Group recently took delivery of four heavy-duty fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) from Hyzon Motors.
The companies celebrated the occasion at PFG’s Vistar facility in Fontana, California.
“Putting these zero-emission trucks on the road marks an important step toward decarbonization goals shared by PFG, Hyzon, and the state of California,”Hyzon CEO Parker Meeks said in a news release. “Our fuel cell technology will help Vistar’s heavy-duty trucking operations [run] emission free and with reduced noise pollution.
“We are deeply grateful for our partnership with PFG, as it helps to further our collective goals to reduce carbon emissions from heavy-duty trucking.”
Vistar is PFG’s snack, candy, and beverage distribution division. The joint ceremony that marked the delivery of the zero-emission vehicles included government and company leaders, PFG associates, and ride-along demonstrations.
“The deployment of these vehicles is a major milestone for Hyzon’s industry-leading technology, and through this partnership we expect to gain valuable insight through real-world operations,” Meeks added. “Further, we expect that this intelligence will help us to optimize our technology, while working simultaneously to develop the next-generation, 200-kW fuel cell system.”
Hyzon reports its hydrogen FCEVs have an “expected” range of up to 350 miles and an expected refueling time of 15 minutes, with fast-fill dispensing. PFG plans to use the vehicles to deliver snacks to its customers. The vehicles will be fueled with hydrogen delivered by Pilot Travel Centers.
The delivery comes six months after Hyzon and PFG initially announced their FCEV agreement.
“Food distribution is an essential service and critical to the companies and communities we serve,” said Jeff Williamson, PFG senior vice president of operations. “As we look toward the future, it’s important for us to work toward sustainability goals and improve our transportation infrastructure. At PFG, we remain dedicated to reducing our environmental footprint and serving the Southern California region responsibly.
“We’re excited to have partners like Hyzon as we continue to demonstrate our commitment to being a good neighbor to every community we serve.”
FCEVs offer “numerous” advantages over battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in terms of payload—they’re expected to be around 6,000 to 8,000 pounds lighter than BEVs—range, and refueling time, Hyzon maintained.
PFG first announced its intention to add Hyzon’s FCEVs to its fleet last summer. The distributor completed its first commercial run in one of the vehicles last August in Temple, Texas, where the truck demonstrated its ability to operate on a 16-hour route covering more than 540 miles in temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
