A hydrogen van from Ford

For the moment, this is merely a test in England, but Ford is leading a consortium that has developed a fleet of eight fuel cell vans based on the Transit.

The projects is partly funded by the APC* (Advanced Propulsion Centre). It brings together several partners including BP and Viritech (which is developing a hydrogen-powered supercar). The aim is to show that hydrogen can play a role in heavy-duty mobility, covering long distances, powering auxiliary equipment and shortening refuelling times. “Ford believes that the first application of fuel cells could be in its largest and heaviest commercial vehicles,” says Tim Slatter, head of the UK subsidiary. Hydrogen is also part of the strategy to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2035.

The American brand began its research into hydrogen in the 1990s. It has developed several prototypes since then. Including a Transit produced in 2021 with the help of AVL, still in partnership with the APC. It is therefore an improved version with a high-powered fuel cell that Ford will be producing. The fleet of 8 vehicles will be monitored until 2025. In doing so, the manufacturer intends to meet the decarbonisation needs of professional transport in the Thames Estuary (the test area).

Click here if you want to know more about the hydrogen van developed by Ford.

*A structure that collaborates with the British government and connects industrialists and academic research to decarbonise transport.

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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King