Researchers from RMIT University have created the first ever "clean and green" truck in Australia. The truck is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and is being hailed as a promising addition to efforts for finding sustainable technologies. The researchers were able to demonstrate that it is possible for transportation to be made clean, environment-friendly and quiet.

The researchers have made a small-scale model of the trucks from the Scania Highline series. The replicas are operated remotely and are designed to simulate the operations of long haul diesel trucks that are used for transportation between Sydney and Melbourne.

Sustainable technologies, most especially when it comes to transportation, may pave the way for a better way in pushing for more stable costs despite high carbon taxes, emissions trading and increasing costs for petrol, according to Professor Aleksandar Subic who is the head of the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.

"The study demonstrated that we can come up with silent and zero emission trucks. This is exciting! This study is a result of the extensive research that was done to develop hydrogen technologies and apply it in sustainable mobility projects. At the moment, we are going to carry on researching on the production of hydrogen by using photovoltaic arrays and electrolysers, as well as solid state hydrogen storage," said Subic.

The hydrogen-powered electrical system is a very promising development in the transportation industry as well as in sustainable technology research. This can also be used as a power supply for air conditioning, radio, and refrigeration units.

The students from RMIT are also looking into running tests on small scale trucks with pre-defined dynamic loads then scaling the results up with mathematical models in order to make predictions on how full scale trucks are going to operate with the technology that they have discovered for a cleaner and greener transportation.

Australia benefits from road freight transport and is raking in $35 billion per year. It is one of the countries in the world with the largest freight level per capita. Australia also has to deal with trucks that are responsible for 20 percent of the greenhouse gas emission on the country's roads.