World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company’s major annual awards programs and is focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world better. This year, they recognized First Mode’s proof-of-concept hybrid hydrogen and battery powerplant, which replaced a diesel engine in a 200-ton ultra class haul truck, as an honoree across five awards: Winner in the Mid-sized Business Category; Finalist in the Sustainability/Energy and General Excellence categories; and Honorable Mention in the Climate and North America categories.
The zero-emission haul truck is as tall as a three-story building, and this truck, weighing 200 tons empty, can carry up to 290 tons of ore. “At First Mode, we know we are at a ‘fire-everything’ moment. The urgency in front of us requires that we deploy every tool and every technology to battle climate change,” said Chris Voorhees, Chief Program, Product, and Technology Officer of First Mode. This innovation is a clear, powerful step towards confronting climate change and making a difference for the environment while continuing to mine for the resources we need.