Biliti Electric Powers World’s First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Three-Wheeler

California-based Biliti Electric Inc, a fast-growing E-mobility company with presence across the globe, has unveiled the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell (HFC)-powered electric three-wheeler vehicle, FastMile.

FastMile, which has been tested for over 6000 miles in rugged road conditions, boasts of a quick refueling time of under three minutes. At the same time, it has a long range of up to 130 miles. A superior motor with a gradeability of 20°, and payload capacity of 1500 lbs are some of its key features. Biliti has integrated all the fuel cell components and upgraded them to automotive standards, the company claims.

“This is a major step towards shaping the future of hydrogen energy and fuel cells for global markets. Thankfully, BEVs are not the only solution for decarbonizing transportation. We are transforming the application and commercialization of HFCs by bringing the technology to compact and affordable vehicles as well,” says Rahul Gayam, CEO of Bilti Electric.

BEVs vs FCEVs

The primary difference is that Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) contain a large battery to store electricity, while Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) create their own electricity through a hydrogen fuel cell. It is notable that the global three-wheeler refueling market is worth as much as $40 bn every year. At a price point of $7/kg of hydrogen, 3W FCEVs achieve price parity with their conventional counterparts fueled by petrol or diesel. Production cost of grey hydrogen (produced using fossil fuels) is currently sub-$2/kg. This facilitates the transition to FCEVs with the possibility to switch to green hydrogen (produced from renewable energy), which may plunge to $1/kg by 2030.

Key Markets For Three Wheelers

Electric three-wheelers, known as E-tuktuks, are compact enough which makes them apt for last-mile mobility applications. The vehicle offers real utility in the right location. Both people and goods movement in crowded urban areas, coastal and island communities, gated neighborhoods, and sprawling suburbia are lucrative markets for this class of vehicles.

The company says that Biliti’s Taskman (BEV) is a popular last-mile delivery vehicle which is deployed in 15 countries across the globe including Japan, USA, UK, France, Portugal, Germany, Lebanon, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Nepal, Bangladesh, Dubai and India, and has covered over 20 million miles. Taskman^TM is currently being used by Amazon, IKEA, Flipkart (Walmart), Wasoko (Sokowatch), BigBasket (Tata), Zomato, JioMart (Reliance) among others.

It further states that the SmartSwapp technology allows battery swapping in less than a minute.

Luxembourg-based GEM Global Yield LLC has committed $400 million to the company in the form of a Share Subscription Facility and has also announced plans to establish world’s largest electric three-wheeler manufacturing facility in India.