Change Fuel Technologies.

How the Technology Works

The retrofit stores compressed hydrogen in tanks mounted on a purpose-designed frame, commonly behind the truck cab or on the chassis. Hydrogen is introduced into the engine's air intake through a custom injector manifold, mixed with the intake air and compressed in the cylinders. A smaller quantity of diesel acts as the pilot fuel, auto-igniting and initiating combustion of the mixture.

An electronic control system manages hydrogen delivery so that the engine maintains usable output when operating on the blend or on diesel alone. That fallback is commercially important during the early development of a hydrogen network: the vehicle can continue operating if hydrogen is not available, although it then loses the emissions benefit associated with hydrogen substitution.

Other Links

• Technology Information: Change Fuel Dual-fuel Process

Published Benefits and Limits

The company says its system can reduce carbon emissions by up to 50% without changing normal routes, range or payload materially. Its current published designs include five-, four- and three-tank behind-cab arrangements, a smaller chassis-mounted arrangement and a front-mounted off-road design. The appropriate configuration depends on vehicle type, duty cycle, available mounting space, axle loads, hydrogen access and the operator's target displacement.

Dual fuel is not the same as zero-emission fuel cell transport. Diesel remains necessary and combustion emissions remain at the tailpipe. Actual reductions depend on hydrogen substitution under real operating conditions and on how the hydrogen is produced. The strongest case is therefore likely to be a high-utilisation vehicle using verifiably low-emission hydrogen on routes where a full vehicle replacement is not yet practical.

See Also

• Article: HW Richardson Dual-fuel Conversions

Other Links

• Product Information: Current Designs and Safety Approach

Safety and Integration

Change Fuel says its tanks, frame and system are designed against stringent European hydrogen requirements and use electronic and mechanical sensors and shut-offs. The company's published resources include driver refuelling, pre-start, operating and safety-training material. Any conversion still requires vehicle-specific engineering, regulatory approval, installation control, inspection and maintenance arrangements.

The company reports that conversion can take around one to two days after preparatory work, and that it has designs for many CAN-bus-controlled diesel engines. System mass varies substantially: its published FAQ identifies the full five-tank system as the heaviest and the chassis-mounted system as the lightest. Operators must examine payload, axle distribution, certification and whole-of-life cost for the chosen vehicle rather than applying a generic figure.

Other Links

• Training Resources: Change Fuel Technologies

Role in New Zealand's Transition

Retrofitting can help establish an early hydrogen demand base without waiting for the complete renewal of New Zealand's heavy-vehicle fleet. That demand can support investment in refuelling infrastructure and give transport customers a measurable reduction within their existing supply chain. It may be especially relevant to fleets with long asset lives, high annual kilometres and routes served by hydrogen stations.

It should be evaluated alongside battery-electric trucks, new fuel cell vehicles, logistics efficiency, modal change and other low-emission fuels. A credible comparison includes conversion capital, diesel and hydrogen consumption, fuel availability, maintenance, certification, payload, residual asset life and verified lifecycle emissions.

See Also

• Article: Hydrogen Transport Solutions in New Zealand
• Article: Best Use Cases for Hydrogen Adoption

Operational Suitability

The best candidate is not simply any truck with a compatible engine. A useful assessment begins with engine load, annual distance, route, payload, refuelling opportunities and the amount of time the vehicle operates in conditions where hydrogen can displace diesel effectively. A vehicle that spends much of its time idling or at very low load may produce a different result from one working consistently under a high, predictable load.

Fleet operators also need a clear fallback plan. The ability to operate on diesel protects service continuity, but it can conceal poor hydrogen availability or low substitution if performance is not measured. Fuel records should separate hydrogen and diesel consumption, relate both to distance and work completed, and show how often the vehicle reverted to diesel-only operation. This provides customers with credible evidence rather than a reduction figure based solely on the system's maximum capability.

Commercial Evaluation

A retrofit can avoid replacing a serviceable vehicle, but the remaining economic life of that vehicle matters. Conversion is less compelling if the truck, engine or body will soon require replacement. The business case should include installation and preparatory work, hydrogen storage configuration, certification, downtime, driver and workshop training, added inspections, fuel contracts, insurance and any effect on resale value.

Hydrogen price and station utilisation are closely connected. Early fuel can be expensive because production and infrastructure costs are recovered over comparatively low volumes. A fleet that commits consistent demand may help improve utilisation, but it also needs confidence in supply. Long-term arrangements should therefore define fuel quality, availability, pricing method, planned outages and responsibility when the required fuel cannot be supplied.

Measuring the Result

Carbon claims should use the actual hydrogen source and the diesel displaced over a representative operating period. Useful reporting includes kilograms of hydrogen, litres of diesel, kilometres, payload or tonne-kilometres, route conditions and any operational interruptions. Comparing these results with an equivalent unconverted vehicle helps separate the effect of the dual-fuel system from changes in driving, route or freight demand.

Contact Change Fuel Technologies

• Company: Change Fuel Technologies Ltd, a member of H.W. Richardson Group Ltd
• Website: www.changefueltech.com
• Email: info@changefueltech.com
• New Zealand phone: 0800 425 011
• Australia phone: 1800 382 538
• Address: 25 Esk Street, PO Box 1104, Invercargill 9810, New Zealand

Other Links

• Contact Information: Change Fuel Technologies

Using This Company Reference

Change Fuel Technologies and New Zealand Hydrogen are separate organisations. This independent overview does not verify a particular vehicle's suitability or repeat performance claims as guarantees. Confirm technical, emissions, certification and commercial details directly for each proposed conversion.