One of the two trucks. Photo: Supplied / Toyota
Two new zero emission trucks are being launched today as part of an effort to reduce emissions from transport.
They are the first of 20 hydrogen fuel cell trucks that TR Group will lease out to companies under a government-backed programme with Hiringa Energy.
Group general manager Brendan King told Morning Report one of the trucks was on the road already.
"We've got one truck in with New Zealand Post at the moment, that's been running for about two years," he said.
"It's done pretty close to 200,000km on the roads, performed exceptionally well."
The new trucks will be based at Hampton Downs in Waikato and in Christchurch.
"We've got one Hyundai six by two rigid truck at Hampton Downs today, and we've got one six by four tractor unit, built by Global Bus Ventures in Christchurch ready to go."
King said the only emissions out of a hydrogen fuel cell truck were pure water.
"Out of all transport emissions, heavy transport produces about 28 percent of them but they only make up four percent of the fleet, so we're targeting the higher emission vehicles on the road," he said.
"They can do long distances, they refuel quickly."
King said there were three hydrogen fuelling stations operating already, in South Auckland, Hamilton, and Palmerston North.
A fourth was being built in Tauranga, he said, however, expense was an issue.
"It's like any new technology, it's going to be expensive at the start but you build up the volume and the demand, and the costs come down."
