Where is fuel cell R&D heading?

The road to a net-zero mobility sector will require a radical rethink of how vehicles are powered. One of the key organisations facilitating funding for UK-based R&D in this area is the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), a non-profit supporting low-emission powertrain technology development. Working with the UK government, the automotive industry and academia to accelerate the industrialisation of technologies, the APC prides itself on supporting the transition to deliver net-zero emission vehicles.

“The APC's aim is to anchor late-stage research and development in the UK, and to support or attract further private investment, growing green skills and capabilities,” explains Luke Bates, Automotive Trend Strategist at the APC. Today, it is funding 19 hydrogen projects. Hydrogen fuel, either in a fuel cell or an internal combustion engine (ICE), could offer a clean alternative for segments that have traditionally struggled with battery electric set-ups. Heavy-trucks and buses in particular are regarded as a good fit for the technology, but R&D developments currently underway also show promise for the light vehicle segment.