Loblaw Companies Ltd., in partnership with FortisBC Energy Inc. and several collaborators, has launched British Columbia’s first long-term commercial demonstration of a hydrogen-powered Class 8 truck. The project was officially unveiled at Loblaw’s Marine Drive distribution centre in Vancouver, where representatives from industry, government, and project partners gathered to mark this milestone in zero-emission transportation.
Supported by FortisBC’s Clean Growth Innovation Fund, the initiative began earlier this fall to assess the real-world performance of hydrogen-fuelled heavy-duty trucks in daily retail operations. Since mid-October, the truck has been operating on regular routes between the Lower Mainland and Squamish, covering hundreds of kilometres of zero-emission deliveries. The pilot provides valuable operational data on fuelling, performance, and efficiency, advancing efforts to decarbonize Canada’s freight sector.
The project brings together a broad collaboration that includes HTEC, the Alberta Motor Transport Association, the BC Trucking Association, Deloitte, Transport Canada, the Province of British Columbia, and Hyundai Motor Company. Funding support includes contributions from FortisBC’s Clean Growth Innovation Fund, Transport Canada’s Zero Emission Trucking Program, and B.C.’s Innovative Clean Energy Fund, which financed the Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell truck. Operated by Loblaw and fueled at HTEC’s Vancouver hydrogen station, the demonstration will continue through late 2025, generating insights to guide the future of hydrogen vehicle deployment and infrastructure development in British Columbia.
