Hydra Energy

About Hydra Energy

Hydra Energy, established in 2012 by Simon Pickup and Badr Abduljawad, is tackling emissions in the commercial trucking sector. The company provides a turnkey solution for converting heavy-duty diesel trucks to run on a hydrogen-diesel co-combustion system.

Co-founder Simon Pickup has been focused on hydrogen energy since building an electrolyzer for a science fair at age nine and later founding a non-profit, Youth Hydrogen. Co-founder Badr Abduljawad brings a background in computer science, automotive engineering, and serial entrepreneurship, having previously co-founded a software solutions company and a smart meter manufacturer. The company is now led by CEO Jessica Verhagen, who brought nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of environment and finance when she joined in 2019, previously holding roles at Ecosphere+ and as part of the founding team of Evok Innovations. Her appointment as CEO in 2021 coincided with a significant Series A funding round.

Hydra Energy's core offering is its Hydrogen-as-a-Service (HaaS™) model. This business model provides for the retrofitting of existing heavy-duty trucks with a proprietary, reversible conversion kit at no upfront cost to the fleet owner. In exchange, clients sign long-term fuel agreements to purchase low-carbon hydrogen from Hydra at prices equivalent to or lower than diesel. The technology injects hydrogen into the truck's air intake, allowing it to run on a blend of up to 40% hydrogen and 60% diesel, which reduces carbon emissions by up to 40% per vehicle without compromising performance, power, or payload. When the hydrogen runs out, the engine seamlessly switches back to diesel, eliminating range anxiety.

The company serves commercial trucking fleets, particularly those with return-to-base routes. Revenue is generated through these long-term fuel contracts, creating a predictable income stream. Hydra sources waste hydrogen from industrial partners, such as chemical producer Chemtrade, purifying and compressing it for use as a vehicle fuel. The firm also builds and operates the necessary hydrogen refueling infrastructure for its clients. After over 200,000 km of on-road testing, Hydra delivered its first converted truck to a paying customer, Lodgewood Enterprises, in 2021. The company is developing the world's largest hydrogen refueling station in Prince George, British Columbia, as a key hub in a planned Western Canadian Hydrogen Corridor.