Abstract: Hydrogen fuel cell trucks (HFCTs) are increasingly recognized as a promising pathway to decarbonize long-haul freight transportation while maintaining operational characteristics comparable to diesel trucks. However, large-scale HFCT deployment remains constrained by two interrelated barriers: the high upfront cost of HFCT technology and the limited availability of cost-effective hydrogen refueling infrastructure. To address these challenges, this presentation integrates two complementary perspectives on the transition toward hydrogen-powered freight systems. First, we examine a dynamic bi-level Stackelberg game in which the government determines time-varying subsidy policies to maximize carbon emission reduction, while manufacturers and hydrogen refueling providers respond strategically in pursuit of profit. This framework captures the co-evolution of HFCT adoption, hydrogen demand, and infrastructure-related market behavior over the adoption horizon. Second, we present a national-scale hydrogen refueling station (HRS) siting model that minimizes refueling infrastructure investment and hydrogen delivery cost by combining pipeline-based and truck-based hydrogen distribution across the U.S. interstate highway network. The infrastructure model shows that leveraging existing natural gas pipeline systems and storage reservoirs can substantially reduce hydrogen delivery cost and improve the economic feasibility of HFCT deployment.

Together, these two studies provide a more comprehensive view of hydrogen freight decarbonization by linking policy design, market response, and physical infrastructure planning. The integrated perspective suggests that effective government support should not only stimulate early HFCT adoption through targeted subsidies, but also coordinate investment in hydrogen delivery and refueling networks to ensure long-term cost efficiency and industry viability. This combined framework offers useful insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders seeking to balance public investment, market incentives, and infrastructure readiness in the transition to low-carbon freight transportation. Based on the attached infrastructure paper, pipeline-based hydrogen delivery shows clear economic advantages over purely truck-based delivery, and targeted policy support is critical for enabling cost-effective HFCT adoption at scale.

Jialu Yang is a Ph.D. student in Civil and Materials Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago, specializing in transportation systems analysis and sustainable freight transportation. His research focuses on the decarbonization of heavy-duty freight through hydrogen fuel cell truck adoption, hydrogen refueling infrastructure planning, and advanced optimization methods.In addition to hydrogen freight systems, Jialu’s broader research interests include electrified freight transportation, truck platooning, and data-driven methods for transportation planning.

Ziyu Qiu is a Ph.D. candidate in Transportation Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago, specializing in freight transportation systems and market design. His research focuses on the decarbonization and optimization of freight networks, with particular emphasis on container drayage operations and emerging clean technologies such as hydrogen fuel-cell trucks. His research also investigates multi-stage Stackelberg and Cournot competition structures in emerging freight markets, modeling the co-evolution of truck adoption and subsidy mechanisms. His research aims to bridge methodological rigor with real-world freight policy challenges, contributing to both academic literature and industry-facing decision support tools.