With the Government’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars less than seven years away, many individuals and businesses are looking for alternatives. Electric cars are the obvious choice for many, with more than one million registrations in the UK already, but many are also looking at the feasibility of hydrogen.
Domenico Sicilia, Sales Director, Alternative Fuels LNG, Hydrogen and CNG at Dover Fueling Solutions, commented on the future of hydrogen vehicles and their popularity.
He said: “The hydrogen vehicle is not to be misunderstood by drivers with concerns over their affordability, safety, refilling times, and even their environmental credentials.
“In reality, a lot of these are mere myths, because clean-fueled vehicles, such as the hydrogen-powered truck or bus, and already available safe filling stations technology can pave the way to a greener future without fossil-fuel dependence.”
In August 2021, the Government published its UK Hydrogen Strategy which outlined the plans for the use of hydrogen in transport in the future.
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Manufacturers Hyundai and Hyzon are leading the rollout with the first fuel cell trucks recently appearing on the European market, while development continues apace for other companies.
Hyundai’s Xcient model is a significant entry for the South Korean manufacturer. The world’s first hydrogen-powered, heavy-duty truck hit Swiss roads in late 2021, and a total of 1,600 units are expected to hit European roads by 2025.
Another haulage heavyweight is American brand Hyzon, whose Class 8 and Hymax models are also paving the way toward decarbonised heavy-duty road transport.
Hyzon Motors form part of the European consortium, Hydrogen Europ which plans to introduce 100,000 fuel cell trucks by 2030.
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According to H2 Mobility, there are 162 hydrogen refuelling stations across Europe, with a further 42 currently being implemented. Of these, seven are located in the UK – three around London, one in Birmingham, one in Sheffield and two near Aberdeen.
The majority of refuelling stations are found in central Europe, including Germany, Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland.
Despite this, there are only six stations in France, two in Italy and none in Spain, although there are plans to add five more (two in France and Spain and one in Italy).
There may also be plans for another five stations in the UK. Two would be facilities for buses, in Crawley and Liverpool. The other three would be open to use for drivers, located in Tees Valley, Belfast and Glasgow.
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