A techno-economic analysis of hydrogen refuelling and electric fast-charging stations: Effects on cost-competitiveness of zero-emission trucks

Hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks and battery electric trucks can significantly contribute to the decarbonisation of the heavy-duty vehicles transport segment. Nonetheless, a paucity of hydrogen refuelling and fast-charging stations can represent a hindrance to the development of zero-emission vehicles. This work aims to provide a techno-economic analysis, with a view to comparing the costs of hydrogen refuelling and electric charging and evaluating their effects on the total cost of ownership of zero-emission trucks. Thus, a comprehensive analysis has been conducted on off-site compressed (C-H2), cryo-compressed, subcooled hydrogen refuelling stations, in conjunction with a fast-charging station. The resulting levelized costs of hydrogen and charging have been incorporated into the total cost of ownership analysis. Thus, it has been demonstrated that battery electric trucks are more cost-effective than hydrogen-fuel cell electric trucks. The findings of this study indicate that the costs associated with electric charging and hydrogen refuelling are comparable and the economic profitability is contingent upon a number of techno-economic variables. Therefore, it is not possible to determine a priori whether one solution is more economically competitive than the other. A mixed infrastructure can represent an opportunity for the transport sector decarbonisation, whereby electric-charging and hydrogen-refuelling are not mutually exclusive.