Distance records have been broken by a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in the latest trial run by First Hydrogen in Wales.
The emergency van used in the trial completed more than 1,200 miles over the four weeks, travelling up to 117 miles per day on mostly urban roads and highways in South Wales.
The vehicle powered by a hydrogen engine had an output higher than 60kW and could carry heavier payloads when towing. It can also power auxiliary equipment.
The trial highlighted no decreases in vehicle performance or range when operating in colder temperatures.
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The hydrogen-fuelled vehicle was trialled by two drivers from Wales and West Utilities (WWU) Network Emergency and Metering Services team.
During the trial, most of the vehicle’s journeys involved travelling to customer callouts, averaging between five and six visits per day.
Alun Jones, first call operative for WWU and driver for a First Hydrogen’s car, said: “First Hydrogen’s van is lovely to drive and allowed us to get on with our job.
“The fact you can quickly refuel rather than charge up overnight is a massive advantage for us as sometimes we respond to calls from our homes in the middle of the night.
“I can definitely see the hydrogen vans working at WWU in terms of the efficiency we need.”
Steve Morgan, another driver from WWU in the vehicle trials, said that the van is essential for their day-to-day operations.
He added: “It’s everything for us; it’s our office and it’s how we transport our equipment and charge our laptops and phones so we can respond to callouts.
“Therefore, we need vehicles that are comfortable and reliable and that can carry everything we need. We do a lot of miles so also need the range.”Steve Gill, executive director for automotive at First Hydrogen, explained that having covered more miles in a single trial than ever before, they have generated a significant amount of vehicle data.
Sharing the van between two drivers, neither of whom has driven a zero emission vehicle before, has provided insight into how different driving styles can affect performance, he stated.
By reviewing this data and speaking to the WWU team, First Hydrogen has identified further opportunities to improve fuel consumption and optimise efficiency.
The trials helped proved that hydrogen mobility is still possible for fleet operators without access to fixed hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.
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The First Hydrogen vehicle tests took place in Wales and south west England
FIRST HYDROGENThe hydrogen car market is currently expected to grow from £1.7billion in 2023 to £64.2billion by 2032, according to DataHorizzon Research.