Hydrogen-fueled motorcycles, bicycles, and industrial trucks

The global market for motorcycles is forecast to reach $85 billion by 2015 (King, 2013). Likewise, the global market for material handling equipment is projected to exceed $122 billion by 2018, of which industrial trucks make up a large portion (Companiesandmarkets.com, 2014). These two markets are significantly smaller than the global automotive market and therefore present lower barriers to market entry for early adoption of emerging fuel cell technology. Battery electric motorcycles are growing in market share compared to their combustion-powered counterparts as the technology improves rapidly and vehicle emissions regulations become more stringent. Integration of hydrogen fuel cell systems into battery electric motorcycle powertrains is technically straightforward but challenging within the space and weight restrictions of two-wheeled motorcycles. This is especially true for the relatively large gaseous hydrogen storage tanks. Three-wheeled “trike” motorcycles, used globally for commerce and increasingly for recreation, have more available space for hydrogen storage tanks and are therefore better platforms for fuel cell drive implementation. In contrast to motorcycles, industrial trucks have a long history of both battery electric and internal combustion drives, such that battery electric truck types represent about 60% of the market share (Jerram, 2014). In the United States, a niche market has arisen for industrial trucks powered by modular fuel cell systems that mimic the dimensions and electrical connections of the lead acid batteries they are replacing. The business case for large fleets of fuel cell powered industrial trucks is compelling because it offers improved operational performance, greater reliability, less maintenance overhead, and faster refueling compared to battery electric units. Motorcycles and industrial trucks require significantly less power and fuel storage than automotive applications, resulting in lower fuel cell system cost per vehicle. Both motorcycle and industrial truck markets represent an early opportunity for fuel cell manufacturers to build economies of scale by developing and deploying small modular fuel cells that can later be scaled up for the automotive market, where cost, volume, and other requirements are more challenging. This chapter provides a broad overview of the technical, business, and regulatory environment confronting developers of hydrogen fuel cell powered motorcycles, bicycles, and industrial trucks, while discussing progress to date.