GHG Emissions, Commercial, Sourcing Renewables  -  October 23, 2024

Diageo Adds Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks

Diageo North America, a premium drinks company, announced plans to incorporate two fuel cell electric trucks that are powered with hydrogen to their U.S. fleet. 

The company partnered with DHL Supply Chain, a contract logistics company that it has worked with for over 20 years, for Class 8 trucks manufactured by Nikola Corporation. The trucks will be deployed and fueled with a HYLA modular refueler at the Diageo campus in Plainfield, Illinois.

DHL Supply Chain has actively worked to develop solutions that help to decarbonize its customers’ logistics operations. The hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks are part of a broader sustainable supply chain strategy that has included use of battery electric vehicles, optimizing vehicle usage and routes, shifting to a multimodal approach, and increased use of US EPA SmartWay partner carriers. These efforts have resulted in year-over-year reductions in carbon dioxide emissions for both Diageo and DHL.

Nikola's hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks offer a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional diesel-powered vehicles:

• The trucks utilize fuel cell technology to convert hydrogen into electricity, powering the vehicle's electric motors providing up to 500 miles in range on a single fill.
• Replacing two diesel trucks with fuel cell electric vehicles is expected to reduce 80% carbon emissions over the course of a year.
• The trucks produce no tailpipe emissions, contributing to cleaner air and reduced GHG emissions.
• The switch from diesel to fuel cell electric vehicles will significantly reduce local emissions including particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions.

“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. This initiative is part of our continued work to decarbonize our footprint in Plainfield, Illinois, making our operations more efficient and sustainable,” said Marsha McIntosh, President of North America Supply at Diageo, in a statement.

Diageo’s Plainfield, Illinois, hub includes manufacturing, bottling and warehousing facilities and produces brands such as Captain Morgan and Smirnoff. Incorporating hydrogen fuel cell trucks into its fleet will contribute to Diageo’s broader efforts to reach net zero carbon emissions across direct operations by 2030 and its value chain by 2050 or sooner, as outlined in its Spirit of Progress action plan.

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