Elemental Trucks has received $1.5 million from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to support the development of what it calls North America’s first commercial 63.5-tonne zero-emission hydrogen truck.

The federal investment is part of NRCan’s Energy Innovation Program under the On-Road Transportation Decarbonization call for proposals. The program funds high-impact clean technology projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sectors. The investment was announced July 30 in Toronto by Evan Solomon, minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation, on behalf of Tim Hodgson, minister of energy and natural resources.

“We’re enabling homegrown breakthroughs — right here in the GTA and southwestern Ontario — that are driving electric vehicle performance, safety, and reliability in uniquely Canadian conditions. From bustling city routes to subzero winters, this is how we move our cities, and our country, forward,” Solomon said during the announcement.

Elemental’s truck platform is designed to handle long-haul freight, heavy payloads, and extreme Canadian weather. The trucks are expected to enter real-world operation early next year, according to a news release. The company says the same platform will be adapted for vocational uses such as construction, snow removal, and airport de-icing.

As trucknews.com reported earlier, the truck is built on a Peterbilt glider chassis that will be equipped with fuel cells and gaseous hydrogen cylinders, capable of hauling heavy payloads with zero tailpipe emissions. The hydrogen tanks will be mounted to the back of the cab and hydrogen stored at 700 bar.

Jamie Ally, CEO of Elemental Trucks, told trucknews.com in June, “[The truck] has a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain with 360 kW of hydrogen fuel cell power and an electric drivetrain designed for what Canada needs. Canada operates a lot of 63-tonne trucks. There’s no other manufacturer currently making a commercially available zero-emission truck with that weight rating, because everybody’s focused on the much larger U.S. market. So, that’s the niche we’re trying to occupy.”

Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Toronto, Elemental Trucks has operations in Ontario, Quebec, and Prince Edward Island, with plans to expand to British Columbia and Alberta.

“With this contribution from the Government of Canada, we are addressing a critical need to decarbonize the heavy road transport sector,” Ally said in the news release. “This investment supports Canada’s leadership in hydrogen technology and the growth of a clean transportation economy.” He added the production is set to begin in 2026, and pre-orders are already open.

“Through these projects, Canadian innovators are creating and commercializing the emerging technologies we need for clean, sustainable transportation for our future,” Hodgson added in the release. “We’re investing in Canadian ideas to accelerate emissions reductions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, which strengthens our supply chains and energy independence.”