Italian highway presents first prototype of hydrogen-methane Iveco Ecodaily

The “hydro-methane” Iveco Ecodaily, developed by the Fiat Research Center in collaboration with Iveco and Fiat Powertrain, has a technology that allows calculating CO₂ emissions based on the percentage of hydrogen in the mixture. This also enables to forecast the benefits of technology for other applications, and not only highways, such as passenger cars or commercial vehicles including public transportation and waste collection.

The mixture can have up to 30 percent of hydrogen, which will save emissions by 11 percent compared to pure methane, 15 percent compared to diesel and 31 percent compared to gasoline. This mixture will also reduce noise pollution and particulate emissions to almost zero.

The van, delivered at the Brennero offices of Iveco dealership in Trento and Verona provinces -which will be responsible for the vehicle maintenance-, was modified from the Ecodaily CNG version. The Italian OEM’s Research Center has also recently adapted a Fiat Panda to operate on the hydrogen-methane mixture for the Region of Lombardy.

Brennero’s strategy also includes expanding its network of NGV refuelling points, to be 14 by 2013, and its active participation to get cleaner highways. Moreover, A22 has five facilities suitable to supply hydrogen, near Brenner Pass, in the south of Bolzano (an under construction pilot site to be completed by late 2012), in Trento, in Verona (near connection with the A4 motorway) and in Modena (in this case, near to the A1).

Source: A22 Autostrada del Brennero SpA