The Port of Bilbao has become the first operational environment to host real-world testing of the H2TowTractor, a hydrogen-powered towing vehicle designed to decarbonise high-intensity logistics activities.
Equipped with a retrofit kit that can be easily installed on existing vehicles, the system accelerates the transition to zero-emission operations without the need for a complete overhaul of industrial fleets.
The kit, applied in this trial to an ATA E405AC tow tractor, meets the operational needs of ports, airports, and other high-intensity environments, where high power requirements and long recharging times undermine the efficiency of conventional electric vehicles.
The key to the project is its plug-and-play technology, based on a retrofit kit that combines an optimised fuel cell and a lithium-ion buffer battery. The system can be easily fitted to vehicles with similar characteristics, reducing investment in new fleets and streamlining regulatory processes.
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Key objectives of H2TOW:
- Increase the uptake of hydrogen as an energy carrier in industrial transport.
- Design and manufacture an easy-to-integrate retrofit kit, based on validated technology.
- Facilitate the transition by reducing costs and regulatory barriers.
- Improve the acceptance and perceived safety of hydrogen.
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The consortium partners of the H2TOW project, funded by EIT Urban Mobility, are the AESS (Modena Energy and Sustainable Development Agency), ATA Tow Tractors, Arco Technologies S.R.L., the CAAB (Agro-Food Center of Bologna) and the Basque Mobility and Logistics Cluster.
The Port of Bilbao is supporting the trials as part of its efforts to decarbonise port activity, and Bunge Ibérica is hosting the first demonstration at its terminal.
Renewable hydrogen has been supplied by Petronor, while IBIL, co-owned by Repsol and the Basque Energy Agency (EVE), will dispense green hydrogen on site and manage refuelling operations.
For more information:
Port of Bilbao – https://www.bilbaoport.eus/en/
EIT Urban Mobility – https://www.eiturbanmobility.eu/
ATA Tow Tractors – https://www.ata-modena.com/en/
Arco Technologies – https://www.arco.tech/
Petronor – https://petronorep.com/
