U.S. Hybrid expands partnership with Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. to convert existing diesel port vehicles and equipment to hydrogen-powered

Ideanomics announces that its subsidiary U.S. Hybrid and Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. are commencing the second phase of collaboration to accelerate the use of zero-emission hydrogen in port drayage operations. U.S. Hybrid will retrofit a second Top Pick Stacker, replacing diesel engines and drive trains with a new hydrogen fuel cell system.

U.S. Hybrid will perform the vehicle retrofit at its facility in Southern California and expects to deliver the new zero-emission port drayage vehicle to the Yusen Terminal in the first half of 2023. 

“This collaboration is special for me because Ideanomics gets to help create a better life for communities next to ports, where too many people are still breathing air full of toxic diesel pollution,” says Robin Mackie, president of Ideanomics Mobility. “The work doesn’t stop here. U.S. Hybrid is ready to help more port drayage fleet operators transition to zero-emission without breaking the bank or disrupting duty cycles. Few companies do what we do, and even fewer have the same proven track record of safe, on-time vehicle and equipment conversion.”

With support from the U.S. and Japanese governments, Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. is leading a consortium project to commercialize the use of hydrogen in the Port of Los Angeles. U.S. Hybrid is supporting the initiative by providing its engineering and design capabilities to seamlessly integrate commercially available Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology into existing port drayage vehicles and equipment. The consortium recently achieved an important milestone delivering the first hydrogen-powered top stacker unit, retrofitted by U.S. Hybrid, at the Port of Los Angeles.

More than 3,300 vehicles and equipment are in operation at the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long beach, two of the biggest and most economically important ports in the United States. Many of these vehicles and equipment are still powered by fossil fuels, emitting significant amounts of pollution that hurts adjacent communities and the planet.

For many fleet operators, buying new zero-emission port drayage vehicles and equipment is not an option because of high upfront costs and low supply. By retrofitting existing vehicles to be zero emission, U.S. Hybrid is giving fleet operators a fast, easy and affordable way to future-proof their fleet and comply with regulations.

Ideanomics is solving the complexity of fleet electrification, offering fleet operators everything they need to electrify faster, easier, and more affordably, all in one place. With ongoing support from Ideanomics, U.S. Hybrid is accelerating the transition of specialty vehicles – from street sweepers to buses, to port drayage vehicles and equipment – to zero emission.