First Mode, a global carbon reduction company that developed the world’s first integrated battery and hydrogen fuel cell power plants for retrofitting behemoth diesel-powered trucks, has established a proving grounds in Centralia, thanks in part to a $250,000 grant from the state economic development strategic reserve fund.
The new facility, First Mode Proving Grounds, will have the potential for long-term local and regional economic impact.
First Mode will demonstrate performance and optimize the next generation of hybrid hydrogen and battery-powered haul trucks, and the infrastructure for recharging and refueling, that will be deployed at mines around the world.
The current standard version of these trucks consumes enormous amounts of diesel, emitting the equivalent pollutants of 700 passenger cars.
First Mode’s pilot retrofit solution is estimated to save 960 metric tons of diesel fuel per truck each year.
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