As part of the “Low-noise logistics mobility study” (Mobilitätsstudie geräuscharme Logistik), the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, in cooperation with the experts from Peutz Consult, measured the noise emissions of selected vehicles during driving and maneuvering movements. With its 18-tonne prototype truck with “KEYOU-inside” hydrogen engine, KEYOU was also part of the measurements. The result is both surprising and impressive: at low speeds, the hydrogen combustion engine is perceived as only about half as loud as comparable diesel trucks.
How’s the torque?
Better than natural gas engines, probably not as good as a diesel.
That’s pretty cool then! I don’t think anything other than electric is going to match the torque those big diesels crank out, but if it’s better than NG, that’s a realistic fuel source for something needing to tackle steep mountain roads. Supposedly, the NG engines can just barely handle that kind of driving, only with horrible fuel usage.
With hydrogen, assuming the infrastructure gets handled, the fuel usage isn’t as big a concern, afaik.
Mind you, I’m coming at this second and third hand; I don’t drive the things, just have family that do. But that’s been the big objection any of them have raised, that they didn’t think the alternate fuels would be able to get the job done outside of flat ground.
Thanks for the response :)