Decarbonisation has become a high priority for commercial fleets, with two powertrain options offering a zero-emission alternative to diesel: battery electric (BEV) and hydrogen fuel cells (FCEVs). While batteries are arguably winning the debate in heavy-duty vehicles, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) present a compelling opportunity for hydrogen.
In September 2023, fleet management company Rivus published a report on its trial deployment of 3.5 tonne FCEVs from First Hydrogen. During testing as parcel delivery vehicles, the vans were found to be “much more robust” in carrying out operations than BEV models. Noted improvements included higher payload, longer range (up to 1,000km), and faster refuelling (ten minutes). These qualities are proving that the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain can be an efficient and practical solution well suited for the diversity of global LCV applications, which go beyond standard logistics operations.
However, at this early stage of development, more information is needed on the performance, practicality, and applicability of FCEVs across a range of LCV use cases. It is for this reason that consulting firm Ricardo has been working with Toyota since December 2022 to build a first-of-its-kind hydrogen-powered version of the OEM’s Hilux pick-up for the UK market.
