Is Hydrogen the Key to Electric Vans?

Think of it as a miniature power plant, using a chemical reaction between hydrogen from a tank and oxygen from the air to produce electricity, while emitting only water vapour[1].

This isn’t new technology – NASA’s used fuel cells to power its Apollo missions during the 1960s[2] – and it could have potential in road transport by effectively enabling electric vehicles to produce their own energy while driving.

Advocates of hydrogen fuel cells claim they combine best aspects of combustion engine and electric vehicles. Hydrogen tanks take two or three minutes to fill and offer a range of several hundred miles, with the same smooth, near-silent driving experience as a battery-electric vehicle.

Hyundai and Toyota already sell small volumes of fuel cell cars in the UK[3, 4], but this technology could prove even more useful as a diesel alternative for long-range, high-mileage vans. It would enable operators to decarbonise their fleet, without compromising payload by using heavier battery packs to extend their range.

Commercial vehicles are also important for overcoming one of the technology’s biggest stumbling blocks. There are only a handful hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK, and most are located around London. Fleets of hydrogen fuel cell vans would create localised clusters of high demand and a business case for refueling stations across the country. In the longer term, this could support hydrogen-powered passenger cars.

Several manufacturers have spotted the potential for hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles:

• Automotive giant Stellantis is developing versions of its mid-size Citroën, Peugeot and Vauxhall vans with a hydrogen fuel cell system. This provides a range of 250 miles, refuelled in three minutes, and a mains-rechargeable battery as an additional power source. Vauxhall will begin UK fleet trials later this year and a larger Movano fuel cell van is due in 2025[5].
• Renault Group joint venture HYVIA offers a hydrogen fuel cell van based on the Master platform, which is also available as a minibus and chassis cab for conversions. The vehicles were co-developed with fuel cell specialist Plug Power[6], providing a range of up to 250 miles with three-minute refuelling stops. Fleet customers are supported by a suite of services, including a supply of hydrogen and refuelling equipment to overcome infrastructure concerns.
• Toyota has built ten prototype Hilux pickups equipped with a fuel cell system from the Mirai, claiming a range of 373 miles with a higher payload and towing capacity than using batteries. The fleet will be equally split between customer trials and in-house field testing to assess how the technology performs in the hard-working environments where pickups are often deployed[7].
• Ford Pro sees potential for hydrogen fuel cells in its largest, heaviest commercial vehicles. It recently began a three-year trial with a fleet of eight prototype vehicles based on the E-Transit, exploring whether it can offer the same range and operating hours as a diesel engine[8].
• Hyundai Motor Group is working with Iveco and INEOS to develop vans and off-road vehicles using its fuel cell technology[9, 10].

Possibly. Manufacturers are under pressure to offer alternatives to combustion engines, which will be phased out of new LCVs in the UK and EU by 2035[11, 12]. In the meantime, Euro 7 emissions standards will set even stricter limits for diesel engines and could require expensive after-treatment technologies for next-generation vans.

That’s a big change – LCVs are mission-critical vehicles for fleets, and 95% have diesel engines in the UK, according to the latest Department for Transport data[13].

Meanwhile, hydrogen is back in the Government’s spotlight. The UK Hydrogen Strategy, released in 2021, highlighted its potential to reduce emissions for “hard-to-electrify” sectors – including long-haul heavy-duty transport and with ambitions to scale up production using renewable energy[14].

Over time, one of the world’s most abundant element could help solve some of the transport’s biggest challenges.

[1] Johnson Matthey. (n.d.). Fuel cells. [online] Available at: https://matthey.com/en/products-and-services/fuel-cells [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[2] NASA. (n.d.). NASA’s Moon Shot Launched Commercial Fuel Cell Industry. [online] Available at: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/NASA%E2%80%99s_Moon_Shot_Launched_Commercial_Fuel_Cell_Industry [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[3] Toyota UK. (n.d.). Mirai. [online] Available at: https://www.toyota.co.uk/new-cars/mirai [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[4] Hyundai UK. (n.d.). NEXO. [online] Available at: https://www.hyundai.com/uk/en/models/nexo.html [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[5] Vauxhall Press Office. (2024). Vauxhall partners with Ryze to develop hydrogen charging solutions. [online] Available at: https://www.media.stellantis.com/uk-en/vauxhall/press/vauxhall-partners-with-ryze-to-develop-hydrogen-charging-solutions [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[6] HYVIA. (n.d.). Master Van H2-TECH. [online] Available at: https://www.hyvia.eu/en/vehicle/master-van-h2-tech/ [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[7] Toyota GB. (2024). Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hilux Project Reaches Demonstration Phase. [online] Available at: https://media.toyota.co.uk/hydrogen-fuel-cell-hilux-project-reaches-demonstration-phase/ [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[8] Ford. (2023). Ford Announces Three-Year Hydrogen Fuel Cell E-Transit Trial. [online] Available at: https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/feu/gb/en/news/2023/05/09/ford-announces-three-year-hydrogen-fuel-cell-e-transit-trial.html [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[9] Hyundai Newsroom. (2020). Hyundai and INEOS to Cooperate on Driving Hydrogen Economy Forward. [online] Available at: https://www.hyundai.news/eu/articles/press-releases/hyundai-and-ineos-to-cooperate-on-driving-hydrogen-economy-forward.html [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[10] IVECO Group. (2022). IVECO and Hyundai Present the First Fuel Cell Large Van at IAA in Hanover as Their Partnership Develops. [online] Available at: https://www.ivecogroup.com/media/corporate_press_releases/2022/september/iveco_and_hyundai_present_the_first_fuel_cell_large_van_at_iaa_in-hanover_as_their_partnership_develops [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[11] Department for Transport. (2024). Pathway for zero emission vehicle transition by 2035 becomes law. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pathway-for-zero-emission-vehicle-transition-by-2035-becomes-law [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[12] European Parliament. (2023). Fit for 55: Zero CO2 emissions for new cars and vans in 2035. [online] Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20230210IPR74715/fit-for-55-zero-co2-emissions-for-new-cars-and-vans-in-2035 [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[13] Department for Transport. (2024). VEH1103: Licensed vehicles at the end of the quarter by body type and fuel type: Great Britain and United Kingdom. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66437bb9993111924d9d343e/veh1103.ods [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

[14] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. (n.d.). UK Hydrogen Strategy. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-hydrogen-strategy/uk-hydrogen-strategy-accessible-html-version#chapter-1-the-case-for-low-carbon-hydrogen [Accessed 18 Jul. 2024].

This blog was originally published on leaseplan.com website. The views expressed may no longer be current and any reference to specific vehicles or products is for reference only. This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular vehicle, product or service - if you are unsure about the suitability of a product, you should consult with an expert.