Several manufacturers will present their hydrogen-powered engines at ConExpo, North America’s largest construction trade show, to be held in mid-March in Las Vegas. 

Cummins, JCB, Kubota, Liebherr, Volvo Penta… These are the manufacturers and engine builders who plan to exhibit hydrogen-powered combustion engines. JCB has chosen this event to unveil its strategy regarding hydrogen. The group will be presenting, for the first time at an international show, its hydrogen internal combustion engine, which is already powering a prototype backhoe loader and a telescopic handler. According to the group’s chairman, Lord Bamford, these engines can be developed quickly from diesel engines and installed in existing chassis, using the same components (such as those for cooling) as for combustion engines.

As for Cummins, it will present a 15-litre engine that can run on hydrogen, biogas, biofuels or diesel. Volvo Penta, which will communicate on its “Net Zero” roadmap, has developed a “Dual Fuel” engine that can run on hydrogen and reduce CO2 emissions by 80%. Liebherr will use the show to exhibit for the first time in the US its hydrogen engine prototype (H 964), which is suitable for heavy duty vehicles. Among the newcomers there is Japan’s Kubota, which has developed a 3.8 L H2 engine that will equip the generator of its compatriot Denyo.

It should be noted that hydrogen will also be present in the form of fuel cell vehicles, for example at Volvo which will be displaying a truck (HX04).

Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King