Bosch said recently that it will invest more than $200 million at its South Carolina plant to build fuel cell stacks that will power hydrogen-powered electric commercial trucks in the United States. The South Carolina project is part of Bosch's plan to invest more than $1 billion globally to develop fuel cell technology by 2024.
The company said capital upgrades to the campus will include providing about 147,000 square feet of floor space -- for the production of fuel cell stacks -- as well as the cleanroom and climate-controlled environment needed to support quality-critical processes.
Fuel cell production at the plant is expected to begin in 2026. The German auto supplier said it would create about 350 new jobs.
Bosch said its fuel cells will be used to power electric heavy-duty trucks, including Nikola's Tre electric semi-trailer, which is expected to enter production by the end of 2023. Bosch, which invested at least $100 million in Nikola in 2019, said last year it would supply the company with hydrogen fuel cell modules.
The company's investment in fuel cells marks a broader movement in the industry to use the technology for heavy-duty trucks and commercial vehicles. Fuel cells, which convert hydrogen into electricity, are very expensive. However they are considered particularly promising in Class 8 trucks and other heavy commercial vehicles because they are smaller and lighter than using battery packs.
Hydrogen is not an energy source in itself. It is more of an energy carrier and makes it a particularly good partner for weather-generated renewable resources like solar and wind. Not all hydrogen is created equal, though. Today, about 95 percent of hydrogen is produced using a heavy fossil fuel method called steam methane reforming. Part of it is produced using electrolysis, a process that uses electricity to split hydrogen and oxygen. A smaller fraction of the hydrogen is made from renewable energy. Companies including Bosch see "green hydrogen" as the most promising version of reducing the carbon footprint of commercial trucking.
