Honda showcased this hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 concept truck at ACT Expo 2024.
Is Honda getting into the commercial vehicle game?
Kind of.
Honda is, of course, one of the premier passenger car companies in the world today.
But lately, the Japanese auto giant has been working with General Motors. The two companies are bringing new technology to a market segment Honda has traditionally not served: Commerical vehicles.
A Class 8 Hydrogen Concept Truck
At ACT Expo 2024 in Las Vegas on May 20, Honda debuted a Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell concept truck. The truck showcases the start of a new demonstration project aimed at future production of fuel cell-powered vehicles for the North American market.
Honda said it is seeking new business collaborations as the company expands its hydrogen business to achieve its global goal of zero environmental impact, including carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050.
“Commercial vehicles, including Class 8 trucks, where fuel cells offer the best zero-emission replacement for existing diesel applications, are a key part of Honda’s broad hydrogen business strategy,” said Ryan Harty, assistant vice president, sustainability & business development, American Honda Motor Co. “Honda is actively seeking business collaborations and customers to help bring these hydrogen fuel cell solutions to market here in North America.”
The operational Honda Class 8 truck concept is powered by three new Honda fuel cell (FC) systems, now in mass production at Fuel Cell System Manufacturing, a joint venture production facility with General Motors (GM) in Brownstown, Michigan.
The new FC system is key to the Honda hydrogen business strategy, the company said.
Co-developed by Honda and GM over the last decade, the Honda FC system advances performance and doubles durability while reducing cost by two-thirds compared to the previous Generation1 system.
Honda has identified four core domains for the initial utilization of its new fuel cell system: fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), commercial fuel cell vehicles, stationary power stations and construction machinery.
An Autonomous Work Truck Too
And that’s not the only commercial vehicle concept Honda displayed in its booth at ACT Expo 2024.
In addition to the Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell truck, Honda also showcased a 2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV. The company said this is the first production plug-in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle in America.
Honda also displayed its new Fuel Cell System, which is at the core of its strategy to expand the range of applications that use hydrogen toward the decarbonization of society.
The booth also displayed the Honda Autonomous Work Vehicle (AWV), a prototype, all-electric off-road vehicle designed to enhance worksite efficiencies and support repetitive tasks.
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