The European Commission and Dutch National Climate Agreement both have a long-term strategy to reduce diesel use in heavy mobile equipment and meet regulations around emissions reduction.
Various funding is being made available by the EU to develop technologies to support this. To strengthen regional economies, the European member states receive subsidies from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Funding in the Netherlands
EFRO Oost 2021-2027 is the subsidy program for organisations in the Overijssel and Gelderland regions in the East of the Netherlands. The factory where Hyster Big Trucks are designed and manufactured is in this region, in the city of Nijmegen.
With a growing focus on sustainability in the ports and terminals industry, Hyster is already undertaking several projects to enable container handling with zero-emission equipment, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, or a combination of these power sources. These include the development of hydrogen fuel cell powered Container Handlers and ReachStackers.
This specific project expects to investigate the potential for modular integration of a hydrogen fuel cell and battery pack in an electric Hyster® Empty Container Handler. The aim is to explore the technologies to develop an Empty Container Handler with an electric motor, which would offer the end user the option to power the truck with either a battery or a hydrogen fuel cell. Funding for the project was confirmed in 2023.
Hyster is the consortium lead for the organisations involved in this research and development project, which is also being participated in by Hobelman-Halle, which will be developing technologies for a zero-emission ‘hooby smalspoor’ (narrow gauge ditch mowing truck).
Other participants include ACEmobility (including University of Applied Sciences HAN and University of Applied Science Fontys), and the University of Twente. With these organisations, the project aims to explore topics such as the role of digitalisation in predictive maintenance, as well as battery recyclability processes.
In addition to a focus on innovation, the project also hopes to explore the training that will be needed to enable people to be prepared to work with these emerging technologies. Talk to Hyster to learn more.
