# The Hydrogen for Trucks Act: What It Does

This bill creates a federal grant program to help companies and organizations buy hydrogen-powered heavy trucks and build hydrogen fueling stations. Think of it as the government offering money to help jump-start the hydrogen truck industry by funding real-world demonstrations of whether this technology actually works in practice.

Here's who can get the money: trucking companies, leasing firms, independent truck owners, airport and shipping port operators, public fueling station developers, and government agencies that run vehicle fleets. The government will hand out grants up to $20 million each to selected projects, though recipients have to pay at least 20 percent of the project costs themselves. The bill sets aside $200 million total for this program over five years (2024-2028).

What can the money be used for? Primarily two things: buying at least seven hydrogen fuel cell trucks for a project, or building hydrogen fueling stations. The grants can also cover operating costs, maintenance, training workers on hydrogen safety, and reporting requirements. When it comes to truck purchases, the government won't pay more than $500,000 per truck or the difference between what a hydrogen truck costs and half the price of a comparable diesel truck—whichever is less.

The program has some built-in priorities. The government will favor projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions the most, projects where fueling stations are open to the public rather than private-only, and projects where companies contribute more than 20 percent of the costs themselves. The government also wants to spread projects across different regions to test how hydrogen trucks perform in different climates and conditions. Importantly, all grant recipients must monitor and report on hydrogen leaks and share data about how their trucks perform—things like operating costs, fuel consumption, and reliability—so the government and other operators can learn what works and what doesn't.

Hydrogen for Trucks Act

Porter, Katie

Hydrogen for Trucks Act This bill requires the Department of Transportation to establish a grant program that assists eligible entities in purchasing (1) heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles (e.g., trucks) that use hydrogen as a fuel source, and (2) related equipment. Certain entities that control heavy-duty truck fleets or public hydrogen fueling stations may apply for grants. Grant recipients must use the funding to demonstrate the performance of at least seven heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles that use hydrogen as fuel source or at least one hydrogen fueling station for use by such vehicles.