The data collected from the pilot will help shape future deployments of hydrogen trucks for Loblaw and the province

Loblaw Companies Ltd. has been quietly running its first commercial pilot demonstration of a hydrogen-powered Class 8 truck in British Columbia since mid-October.

The pilot, which started the week of Oct. 14, includes a single Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell truck completing regular delivery routes between the Lower Mainland and Squamish.

With hundreds of kilometres of zero-emission trips already logged in from the pilot, the grocery giant’s goal is to test the vehicle’s real-world performance, range and fuelling efficiency under daily retail operations.

Utility provider, FortisBC, is contributing $30,000 for this pilot through its Clean Growth Innovation Fund. (The fund was launched earlier this fall to support real-world performance of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks in daily retail operations.)

“Heavy-duty transportation is one of the hardest sectors to lower carbon emissions, but through collaboration and innovative thinking, we can help drive forward solutions,” says Mike Leclair, vice-president of major projects and LNG at FortisBC, in a press statement.

“Hydrogen offers the long range and fast refuelling needed for freight, and this demonstration shows how industry, utilities and government can work together to advance practical, lower carbon solutions.”

The demonstration will continue through late November. The data collected throughout the period will help to inform future hydrogen vehicle and infrastructure developments across the province.

A collaborative demonstration

The hydrogen truck demonstration is bringing together a broad group of industry and government partners, including HTEC, the Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA), the BC Trucking Association (BCTA), Deloitte, Transport Canada, the Province of British Columbia and Hyundai Motor Company.

Transport Canada’s Zero Emission Trucking Program is providing support with data collection and analysis, delivered via Deloitte and AMTA’s Trucking Testbed, alongside AMTA’s own Zero Emission Trucking Testbed, which focuses on piloting zero-emission freight hauling across Western Canada.

The Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell truck is leased from HTEC and is being refuelled at HTEC’s Southeast Marine Drive hydrogen station in Vancouver. Funding for the vehicle was provided through B.C.’s Innovative Clean Energy Fund.

“Hydrogen fuel cell trucks have the potential to meet the needs of carriers who operate longer distances and heavier loads, but we need real operating data to understand how they perform,” says Dave Earle, president and CEO of the BC Trucking Association.

“This demonstration helps our industry learn what works, what needs improvement and where hydrogen can fit alongside other zero-emission technologies in B.C.’s transportation network.”

Building a lower-carbon fleet

The Vancouver hydrogen pilot builds on Loblaw’s broader strategy to explore scalable, low-carbon technologies across its distribution network.

In 2023, Loblaw announced plans to purchase five Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell trucks from Kenworth.

By the end of 2024, the grocery giant had 20 heavy-duty electric trucks operating in its fleet, alongside more than 130 electric or hybrid vehicles, representing roughly 10 per cent of its corporate fleet.

These initiatives are part of Loblaw’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.