Walmart is rolling out a new fleet of hydrogen-powered electric semi-trucks in Ontario, Canada. 

According to the company, Walmart is the first major retailer in Canada to use hydrogen fuel cell semi-trucks in their delivery fleets. This is part of a larger initiative from Walmart Canada to eventually use alternative fuel sources for its entire vehicle fleet. 

“We’re proud to be introducing Walmart Canada’s first hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle as a major milestone on our journey to becoming a regenerative company,” Walmart Canada CEO and president Gonzalo Gebara said in a news release. 

The trucks will come from Nikola Motors, and will have a range of roughly 500 miles. The vehicle carries gaseous hydrogen in tanks the same way a typical semi-truck uses diesel. It runs that hydrogen through a stack of fuel cells, and then converts it into electricity when it combines with oxygen, leaving behind water vapor. 

Although hydrogen hasn't been widely adopted as a fuel source for commercial vehicles, it's still garnered interest from fleet managers amid an industry-wide push to cut emissions. In December of 2023, Amazon announced plans to use hydrogen fuel cells to power vehicles like forklifts in fulfillment centers. Months later, the Port of Oakland launched a $53 million project to start using hydrogen-powered electric trucks to haul freight in Northern California.