The first hydrogen-powered light commercial vehicle designed in Singapore will be on trial for a year beginning fourth quarter 2023 at JTC’s Jurong Innovation District (JID), an advanced manufacturing hub taking shape in western Singapore.
Spectronik, a Singapore-based fuel cell solutions specialist, today unveiled the prototype of a truck powered by its hydrogen fuel cells system, which can carry up to 1 tonne of cargo. The truck has a range of 500 km and can be refuelled rapidly within five minutes, presenting an environmentally friendly transport and logistics solution.
The vehicle is undergoing track trials at CETRAN (Centre of Excellence for Testing & Research of Autonomous Vehicles-Nanyang Technological University) to certify its safety and performance prior to road tests around JTC Cleantech Park, which are targeted to begin in the fourth quarter. Spectronik is also working on running pilots with fleet operators such as food and parcel delivery companies in a variety of real-world settings during the yearlong trial, as it eyes wider acceptance of the viability of its hydrogen fuel cell system and zero emissions hydrogen fuel technology in Singapore.
“The trials will provide proof of concept for the viability of hydrogen fuel in the commercial fleet vehicle space. It will enable prospective customers to experience hydrogen transport solutions first-hand and help us engage with potential customers and provide data to inform the development and production of future vehicles,” said Jogjaman Jap, CEO of Spectronik.
Mr Jap added that hydrogen fuel cells provide about twice the range of battery-powered electric vehicles and is the ideal solution for driving long distances with zero emissions in use, as well as for transporting larger loads without losing time while charging the batteries. “We branched into automotive fuel cell solutions in response to demand from fleet operators who wanted to make their operations more efficient and eco-friendlier while enhancing fuel security as Singapore works towards its net-zero goals,” he explained.
In the next five years, Spectronik plans to bring to market a fleet of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles – such as vans and minibuses – on the public roads of Singapore, alongside a hydrogen refuelling station to serve these vehicles. The company is a member of the Hydrogen Working Group which is establishing the national standards for hydrogen refuelling stations. It also plans to expand its fuel cell R&D, advanced manufacturing and testing facilities at JTC CleanTech Three to support the company’s commercialisation efforts.
“CETRAN and JTC CleanTech Park within JID provide the most conducive environment for safe testing of new energy vehicles in a relevant but controlled testbed; other technologies such as autonomous vehicles are also rigorously being tested on the same roads,” said Mr Jap, adding that Spectronik also benefitted from being part of the startup ecosystem at LaunchPad@JID before moving to JTC CleanTech Three.
Said Anil Das, Director, Logistics and Transport Cluster, JTC, “Spectronik’s hydrogen-powered vehicle trials represent a new milestone in the path towards developing a range of sustainable mobility solutions in JID for fleet operators here and regionally. JTC remains committed to supporting companies like Spectronik who are keen on establishing novel ways to decarbonise mobility in Singapore.
“Spectronik joins a growing ecosystem at JID comprising companies that are tapping the conducive environment within the District developing sustainable mobility solutions, such as Shimano and Hyundai Motor Group. Spectronik’s presence in JTC CleanTech Three is in line with JTC’s vision of JID as a living lab to testbed new innovations to make the estate smart and sustainable, while pushing new boundaries to work towards net zero by 2045.”
