Aussie-headed fuel cell vehicle company inks deal with zinc giant, laying ‘foundation for an emissions-free future’

While Hyzon is headquartered in the United States, its CEO and co-founder, Craig Knight, is Australian and has been paying attention to the oft-overlooked Australian market for fuel cell technology. In a statement, Hyzon said it will deliver five 154-tonne hydrogen trucks to Ark Energy, owned by global giant Korea Zinc, for use by sister company, Townsville Logistics. Hyzon claims to have the world’s first and the only ultra-heavy-duty hydrogen truck.

“When we scoured the world for fuel cell trucks, we found that Hyzon Motors was the only hydrogen mobility company that could manufacture fuel cells stacks with a sufficient power density to meet our requirements including the ultra-heavy payload and built to Australian Design Rules,” Ark Energy CEO, Daniel Kim, said in a statement. “In addition, Hyzon Motors was the only OEM [original equipment manufacturer] that was interested in supplying the Australian market in the next 18 months.”

The trucks are expected to be fuelled by Ark Energy’s own hydrogen refilling station, with hydrogen produced through a solar farm and electrolyser. “By generating hydrogen from a renewable energy source, Hyzon and Ark Energy aim to create a green solution for both supply and utilisation, enabling the first refinery to produce green zinc,” the company’s statement read.

Korea Zinc’s Sun Metals refinery is currently Queensland’s second largest single-site energy consumer. In November of last year, it pledged to power its entire operations with 100% renewable electricity by 2040, with an interim target of 80% by 2030. 

“Through Ark Energy, Korea Zinc leads this notoriously hard-to-abate sector – demonstrating that decarbonisation can happen now,” Hyzon’s CEO, Craig Knight, said. “This initial order and Ark Energy’s hydrogen hub lays the foundation for an emissions-free future.”

The news comes just weeks after Hyzon signed its first memorandum of understanding for its 154-tonne hydrogen truck with a European customer, making giant Korea Zinc its second customer for the heavy-duty vehicles. “As the world’s first and the only ultra-heavy-duty hydrogen truck, the Hyzon 154-tonne class hydrogen truck is winning market momentum,” the company said.