GCK to retrofit heavy vehicles for the Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque

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14/09/2023

The Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque (CUD) has awarded the GCK group a public contract for the supply of hydrogen-powered tipper trucks and refuse collection vehicles.
This decision is part of the ambitious program to develop a hydrogen subsidiary in the CUD region, including the future installation of a hydrogen production station scheduled to open at the end of 2024.

Lempdes, 14 septembre 2023 – The Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque (CUD) has chosen the GCK group to retrofit several vehicles in its waste collection fleet with hydrogen: polytrucks and refuse collection vehicles. GCK Mobility, a GCK subsidiary specializing in the retrofitting of heavy-duty vehicles, will transform these internal combustion engine vehicles into fuel cell-powered electric vehicles.

The Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque (CUD) boasts a formidable industrial fabric, and was quick to commit to a process aimed at transforming its industrial- port ecosystem to meet the challenges of decarbonization. To meet the significant hydrogen needs of local industries, the CUD will host several green hydrogen production projects, including the first H2V59 site, which will produce almost 28,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year through water electrolysis. In particular, this hydrogen will be used to decarbonize industrial metal and steel production in the Dunkirk industrial port zone.

To complement this production for industry, the CUD has decided to support the creation of a green hydrogen production station for heavy mobility, in particular for public transport buses and refuse collection vehicles. With this in mind, the CUD turned to the GCK group and its subsidiary GCK Mobility to convert its first heavy- duty vehicles, ordering the conversion of tipper trucks and refuse collection vehicles.

Hydrogen powered polytrucks and refuse collection vehicles - Dunkerque

Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque (CUD) tipper truck

GCK Mobility will retrofit the Renault D-Wide 26-tonne chassis common to the various vehicles, integrating an electric motor with a maximum output of 350 kilowatts (kW) powered by a fuel cell with a maximum output of 75 kW. Carrying 22 kg of hydrogen, the tipper trucks will have a range of 7 hours for round trips between the waste collection centers, while the refuse collection trucks for door- to-door waste collection will have a range of 6 hours, thanks to 15 kg of hydrogen stored in the dedicated tanks. The various vehicles are due to be put into service in 2025, once approval has been obtained.

As part of this order, the CUD is also entrusting the maintenance of its vehicles to GCK Mobility, illustrating the company’s range of skills, from integration to after- sales support. In addition to this firm bracket of vehicles, there are optional brackets with the possibility of extending the order over the coming months to retrofit other vehicles.

This new order, which follows several orders for long and short-distance coaches, boats and snow groomers, proves the breadth of GCK’s offer and reinforces its status as a major player in retrofit and decarbonization of transport.

Éric Boudot, CEO of GCK, comments: “We are delighted to formalize this order with the Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque. The call for tenders was conducted as part of a negotiated procedure which enabled GCK to adjust its offer to the CUD’s needs, enabling us to work on long-term solutions for all parties. GCK Mobility is now fully involved in truck retrofitting, which fits in perfectly with our strategy of offering the widest possible range of vehicles.”