Hyliion will acquire a new hydrogen and fuel agnostic capable generator from GE Additive.

Hyliion will leverage GE’s Karno as the next generation generator onboard the Hypertruck, a Class 8 truck with electrified powertrain.

The generator will create a solution that will be capable of operating on over 20 different fuels including hydrogen, natural gas, propane, ammonia and conventional fuels. The technology uses heat to drive a sealed linear generator to produce electricity. The heat is produced by reacting fuels through flameless oxidation or other heat sources including renewables.

The Karno generator emerged out of GE’s long-running research and development investments in metal additive manufacturing across multiple industries and in areas such as generator thermal and performance design. Initial testing indicates the generator is expected to comply with all current and foreseeable emissions standards, specifically from the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, even when utilizing conventional fuels.

The technology is expected to achieve a 20%+ efficiency improvement over today’s conventional generators and could be more efficient than most available fuel cells, Hyliion officials said. These efficiency improvements should, in turn, enable fuel cost reductions and improved vehicle range. The technology should also provide for significant reductions in noise, vibration, moving parts and maintenance as compared to current combustion engines.

In late 2023, Hyliion plans to first release the Hypertruck ERX powertrain, which leverages a natural gas engine as the generator onboard. In the years following, Hyliion plans to release the Hypertruck Karno, its fuel agnostic variant, as phase two in the Hyliion journey to a hydrogen-based future.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close by the end of the third quarter. With an acquisition value of  about $37 million, GE will receive $15 million in cash and approximately $22 million in Hyliion stock. Hyliion will acquire the generator technology and integrate the Cincinnati-based engineering team that created the Karno system into Hyliion.