Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Emergency Relief Truck Fact Sheet

Through an interagency collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Defense, and Cummings, Inc., an advanced hydrogen (H2) fuel cell truck prototype—known as H2Rescue—is being developed and tested. The H2Rescue is a hydrogen fuel cell/battery hybrid vehicle that first responders can drive to disaster mitigation sites to provide sufficient H2 that will power and heat during emergency response operations for up to 72 hours without refueling.

With the increasing frequency of natural disasters, it is critical that we develop and leverage new and emerging green technologies that can be employed during disaster relief efforts and do not require fossil fuels for operation. Disaster and crisis situations frequently put first responders in locations with limited fuel resources, or in remote areas far from resupply.