HTEC has opened Canada’s first 700 bar commercial heavy-duty clean hydrogen refuelling station, marking a milestone for hydrogen-powered trucking in British Columbia.
Located on Tsawwassen First Nation industrial lands at the Chevron Commercial Cardlock in Tsawwassen, the new station is designed to support Class 7 and 8 fuel cell electric trucks operating in drayage and regional freight routes.
The station will enable the initial deployment of 12 hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks funded through the B.C. Hydrogen Truck Pilot Project and the B.C. Hydrogen Ports Project. The vehicles are expected to help test how hydrogen can be integrated into regular fleet operations in one of the most difficult transportation segments to decarbonize.
The project forms part of HTEC’s broader Metro Vancouver Hydrogen Transportation Hub and the H2 Gateway Program, which brings together hydrogen production, distribution, and end-use infrastructure. The hub includes HTEC’s 1.8-tonne-per-day clean hydrogen production facility in Burnaby, its existing light-duty hydrogen refuelling network, and now commercial heavy-duty refuelling capacity in Tsawwassen.
HTEC said the Tsawwassen station shows that hydrogen infrastructure in British Columbia is ready to support real-world fleet deployment and day-to-day transportation activity.
The project was developed with support from Tsawwassen First Nation, landowner for the site, and Sunoco LP, owner of the cardlock. Financing was provided by the Canada Infrastructure Bank, with additional funding from Natural Resources Canada and the Government of British Columbia through its low-carbon fuel program and the Innovative Clean Energy Fund.
HTEC also recognized contributions from across the hydrogen value chain, including station equipment provider Powertech Labs and vehicle and integration partners Hyundai Motor Company, Unilia, and Elemental Trucks.
While several project partners operate across jurisdictions, HTEC said the initiative is rooted in British Columbia, where the hydrogen is produced and used. The company said the project will support local business activity while advancing B.C.-developed expertise in hydrogen infrastructure and transportation.
Early fleet participants include Harbour Link Container Services, through the B.C. Hydrogen Ports Project, and Triple Eight Transport, through the B.C. Hydrogen Truck Pilot Project. The two companies will be the first to lease and operate Hyundai Motor’s XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks using the Tsawwassen station.
The opening adds another piece to B.C.’s emerging hydrogen transportation ecosystem as governments, infrastructure developers, and fleet operators look for lower-emission options for medium- and heavy-duty freight.