Hydrogen-Powered Truck Demonstration Drives BC’s Clean Transport Revolution

A New Ride on Vancouver’s Streets

If you’re roaming around Metro Vancouver this month, keep an eye out for something pretty cool: a heavy-duty grocery delivery truck that’s powered by hydrogen instead of diesel. On November 8, 2025, Loblaw Companies Ltd. teamed up with FortisBC Energy Inc. and HTEC to launch British Columbia’s first sustained demo of a hydrogen-powered truck. It’s quietly humming down the road, with nothing but water vapor in its exhaust—a small but mighty leap toward cleaner air and quieter streets.

With big rigs still being one of the top offenders in greenhouse-gas emissions, this trial is all about seeing if a heavy-duty fuel cell can handle last-mile grocery runs without giving up range or payload capacity. It’s a real-world test in decarbonizing transport and shaking up how we think about commercial logistics.

Powering the Future: How Hydrogen Fuel Cells Work

So, how does a truck run on hydrogen? It’s all about a clever stack of fuel cells turning H₂ into electricity, then into good old torque at the wheels. Here’s the breakdown:

• Storage: Compressed hydrogen lives in high-pressure tanks mounted on the chassis.
• Conversion: Inside the fuel cell, hydrogen meets oxygen from the air and sparks an electrochemical reaction that generates electricity.
• Drive: That electricity powers an electric motor, delivering instant torque to roll the wheels.
• Emission: No CO₂ or particulates—just water vapor drifting out the tailpipe.

On top of zero tailpipe emissions, refueling one of these trucks takes just minutes (right up there with diesel), and you still get the range you need for heavy loads—huge perks over battery-electric options.

Meet the Team Behind the Wheel

Bringing this idea to life is a powerhouse Canadian collaboration:

• Loblaw Companies Ltd.: Canada’s biggest food retailer—think Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills—is putting the hydrogen truck through its paces on everyday grocery routes and collecting performance data.
• FortisBC Energy Inc.: Serving over 1.2 million customers, FortisBC is backing clean-tech projects like this to help B.C. hit its climate targets.
• HTEC: As a B.C.-based hydrogen specialist, HTEC builds production, distribution and refueling solutions. Its Vancouver station, part of the growing BC hydrogen infrastructure, taps into a 98% renewable electricity grid to fuel every demo run.

Could This Reshape Grocery Logistics and Emissions?

Swapping one diesel rig for a hydrogen alternative might feel like a drop in the ocean—but these shifts can create waves across the industry. Imagine the possibilities:

• Lower Emissions: These trucks ditch tailpipe greenhouse gases for pure water vapor, shrinking local pollution and helping the planet breathe easier.
• Grid Synergy: Using B.C.’s clean electricity to make hydrogen via electrolysis or other low-carbon methods means the whole lifecycle can hover near zero emissions.
• Operational Parity: Fast fill-ups in minutes and long hauls keep delivery schedules intact—no rerouting or downtime headaches.
• Economic Ripple: As demand for hydrogen grows, you’ll see new jobs spring up for station construction, upkeep and the broader supply chain.
• Policy Momentum: Real-world data from this demo through late 2025 could shape the next wave of incentives and funding for zero-emission transport.

Driving Forward: What’s Next?

This demo rolls on through late 2025, with the team logging every detail—from fuel efficiency and uptime to maintenance quirks. They’ll use that data to decide how and where to expand this hydrogen-powered truck concept into new delivery routes and sectors across Canada.

British Columbia’s punching above its weight in clean-energy innovation: 98% renewable electricity, a growing network of hydrogen stations and serious momentum in BC hydrogen infrastructure. As we clock more kilometres on these trucks, we’ll see if hydrogen’s really ready to transform commercial logistics and drive the future of decarbonizing transport nationwide.