Captain Morgan gets a hydrogen Nikola in latest DHL deal
Global logistics giant DHL is serving Diageo North America – the makers of Captain Morgan rum – with a new deployment of hydrogen powered Nikola semi trucks and a standalone hydrogen fueling station.
DHL has established itself as a leader in zero-emission trucking with BEV terminal truck initiatives going all the way back to 2015, when the shipping company put its first Orange EV yard dog to work at Diageo’s Plainfield, Illinois, terminal. As such, you might be surprised to learn that DHL is opting for a hydrogen-powered Nikola instead of the pure electric version.
For their part, the Nikola/Diageo press release plays up the “EV” part of “FCEV” in an effort to convince readers that their hydrogen trucks are just as “green” as EVs – which longtime readers of Electrek, of course, realize is nonsense.
That said, DHL doesn’t want you to think in terms of hydrogen vs. battery here. Instead, the alternatives are diesel, CNG, or hydrogen. And, in this particular application – heavy haul, easily 350-400 mile routes throughout the Great Lakes region, and limited charging available for big trucks outside of California – the hydrogen trucks might offer a significant emissions reduction compared to diesel, and that’s what the DHL pilot hopes to discover.
“As a global logistics company with the goal of decarbonizing its business, we’ve integrated sustainability as a fourth strategic bottom line named ‘Green Logistics of Choice’ in our newly announced Strategy 2030,” explains Jim Monkmeyer, President of Transportation, DHL Supply Chain. “The deployment of these fuel cell electric vehicles is one of many initiatives that demonstrates how we are putting action behind our words.”
In addition to offering a 500+ mile range on a full (slow-fill) tank, the Nikola trucks offer significant improvements in driver comfort and ADAS effectiveness by reducing the noise and vibration found in diesel and CNG trucks, which reduces driver fatigue and enhances the ability of the cameras and sensors to clearly see the road ahead.
“We are extremely excited to be a part of this partnership delivering the first set of heavy-duty hydrogen trucks to Illinois, home to our largest manufacturing hub in North America,” said Marsha McIntosh, President of North America Supply at Diageo. “This initiative is part of our continued work to decarbonize our footprint in Plainfield, Illinois making our operations more efficient and sustainable.”
Electrek’s Take
When the CEO of a major heavy truck brand tells you hydrogen isn’t green and doesn’t save you any money, you know there are big incentive dollars at play – and that’s OK. The US government has subsidized fossil fuels to the tune of tens trillions of dollars over the last few decades (orders of magnitude more than EVs, in fact), so the relative pennies on the dollar they’re spending on hydrogen and BEVs seems like fair play.
Whether or not this particular hydrogen pilot program will make enough sense for DHL and Diageo to continue with the HFCEVs going forward, however, remains to be seen.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Diageo, via Nikola.
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On today’s sunny side up episode of Quick Charge, we take a look at the latest from the world of solar power, and discuss Congressional Republicans’ plans to limit your energy independence by eliminating a critical tax credit for homeowners nearly ten years early. (!)
We’ve also got a quick review of a massive solar farm powering 200,000 homes in Indiana and the biggest solar project East of the Mississippi – both part of a record 98% of all new power generation and grid capacity introduced in 2025 coming from wind and solar. Those are jobs, those are lower utility rates, those are energy independence … so why are Congressional Republicans working to make that more expensive?
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If you want to read that EnergySage report on the state of the home solar industry, including news about battery energy storage system and V2H/V2G prices and financing trends, you can check it out for yourself, below, then let us know what you think in the comments.
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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A Waymo autonomous vehicle drives along Masonic Avenue on April 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Alphabet’s Waymo unit has received approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose.
In March, the company submitted a request to the California Public Utilities Commission to gain approval for its latest passenger safety plan, a key step in gaining permission to operate driverless vehicles across a broader area. On Monday, the proposed expansion was approved, allowing for Waymo’s driverless coverage to extend from San Francisco down through the Peninsula.
“We’re very excited to share that the CPUC has approved our application to operate our fully autonomous commercial ride-hailing service in the South Bay and nearly all of San Jose!” the company wrote in a post on X on Monday. “While this won’t change our operations in the near-term, we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of Waymo One to more of the Bay Area in the future.”
The $5 billion Empire Wind is back in business. The Trump administration’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has lifted its stop-work order for Empire Wind, a major offshore wind project off the coast of New York led by Empire Offshore Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Equinor. Construction is now allowed to resume.
Equinor CEO Anders Opedal welcomed the news, saying the restart reinforces Equinor’s commitment to delivering clean energy while supporting local economies and saving thousands of jobs. He also credited a wide coalition of officials for helping get the project back on track, including Trump, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and congressional leaders like Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Dan Goldman. Opedal also thanked the Norwegian prime minister and the minister of finance for raising the issue with the US administration.
Governor Hochul said in a statement that “countless conversations with Equinor and White House officials” had taken place.
Neither the BOEM nor the Department of the Interior has issued a comment.
The Trump administration halted construction of the 54-turbine Empire Wind on April 16, but discussions between Equinor, regulators, and leaders at the federal, state, and city levels led to a reversal. That means Empire Wind can now push ahead with its goal of powering 500,000 New York homes with offshore wind energy.
“This project delivers on the energy ambitions shared by the US and New York by providing a vital new source of power to the region,” said Molly Morris, president of Equinor Wind US. She added that Empire Wind is boosting supply chain investments across the country, with activity in New York, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and South Carolina.
Equinor plans to reassess the project’s financials in the second quarter. The goal is still to install turbines offshore in 2025 and hit full commercial operation by 2027. The company says it will work with suppliers and regulators to minimize any delays from the month-long pause.
Empire Wind was first awarded its offshore lease in 2017 after a competitive federal process. It received its final construction green light in early 2024 following an extensive environmental review. Construction kicked off shortly after, and the project is now over 30% complete.
The US is a major market for Equinor. The Norwegian energy giant says it has invested around $60 billion in US energy projects since the early 2000s, more recently in low-carbon solutions, critical minerals, and renewables. Empire Wind is one of its flagship projects in the US.
Read more: Trump admin halts $5 billion NY offshore wind project mid-build
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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