Venson calls for businesses to consider the ease of running a hydrogen commercial fleet over electric
Despite the first hydrogen powered engine being invented in the 1800s as an alternative to steam power, it remains the less popular option after hybrid and pure electric vehicles, even falling behind biofuel vehicles. However, with the right investment in infrastructure Venson Automotive Solutions believes hydrogen would be a better option for many commercial drivers – vehicles are more easily adapted and refilling is much faster than recharging an EV.
To bring the debate to fleet decision makers’ tables, Venson’s latest free white paper, ‘On the Road to Hydrogen’, aims to help fleet and procurement managers objectively consider the use of hydrogen powered vehicles as part of their future fleet strategy.
Ahead of the 2030 end of petrol and diesel-powered vehicle sales, fleets are looking at alternative options and weighing up the pros and cons of electric, biofuel and hydrogen vehicles. With so much information, so many variables and so much confusion around the topic, Venson aims to help clarify the options for those selecting vehicles for their fleet.
“The past decade has seen hydrogen increase in popularity among manufacturers, particularly for the commercial sector,” commented Alison Bell, Marketing Director of Venson Automotive Solutions. “Although there may only be 11 hydrogen refilling stations operating in the UK*, meaning the infrastructure does not yet exist to make this a widely attractive or practical option for businesses or families, there are options available. Fleets that operate on a more local basis, such as construction sites and urban delivery vehicles, are operating successfully using hydrogen. So, it should not be discounted without proper consideration.”
One example of a successful hydrogen powered fleet is demonstrated by JCB and detailed in Venson’s white paper. Portable hydrogen refuelling tanks are used on construction sites to refill vehicles quickly, cutting downtime and increasing productivity whilst dramatically reducing the site’s carbon emissions.
Bell continued: “Yes, there are still many hurdles to overcome before hydrogen will be a viable mainstream option for fleets however Government and manufacturer investments are already increasing, and as hydrogen adoption is far simpler than EV conversion, we should see costs fall and infrastructure grow much more quickly than we have seen with electric. As a result, we hope and expect to see hydrogen technology come of age within the next decade, so now is the time for fleets to assess the options and make plans for future adoption.”
Download a copy of ‘On the Road to Hydrogen’
*https://www.drivingelectric.com/electric/1363/where-can-i-buy-hydrogen-and-where-is-my-nearest-hydrogen-filling-station