Hydrogen powered delivery vehicles: a glimpse into the future?
Whilst petrol prices seem to have stabilised for the time being, the recent exponential rise in the price of petrol and diesel has placed a strain on consumers and businesses alike. This, coupled with increasing awareness and focus on the environmental impact that businesses have, has led more and more organisations to review and re-assess their transportation operations.
Two firms in the North West have collaborated to deliver the first of its kind, 19 tonne hydrogen powered truck. The vehicle will be on trial with Sainsbury’s as part of the government funded project, ‘Road to Hydrogen’ which aims to address UK challenges around zero-emission road freight. More information about this can be found here.
In hydrogen powered vehicles, power is generated by converting the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy, usually by reacting hydrogen with oxygen in a full cell to power electric motors. If successful, this could be an important development in UK transport and road freight, tying in closely with the UK’s net zero strategy.
Separately, Skoda Group has recently launched a hydrogen powered Skoda H’CITY 12 bus in Berlin. In addition to the environmental advantages, the H’CITY 12 bus is also much quicker to re-fuel in comparison to electric buses, resulting in increased efficiency, as they can spend more time in operation.
There are undoubtedly a number of hurdles to overcome in realising the widespread use of hydrogen vehicles such as developing a full hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, which will take a considerable amount of time and money. However, as consumers are more conscious of the environmental impact of vehicles and businesses, perhaps hydrogen powered vehicles offer a suitable eco-conscious alternative that seeks to resolve some of the drawbacks of electric vehicles. This will be an interesting space to watch, particularly in light of recent developments and advancements in this area.
Irwin Mitchell has substantial experience in advising businesses on large scale energy projects and investments and would be happy to discuss your strategy. Our team can be contacted here.
