Phase One of ‘roadmap’ for the introduction of vehicles and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in the UK published by Government

Thu 25 April 2013 View all news

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has published the first phase of the UKH2 Mobility project which provides a ‘roadmap’ for the introduction of vehicles and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in the UK. The report confirms a view published earlier that over one and a half million hydrogen powered vehicles could be on UK roads by 2030. The project, which brings together businesses from the automotive, energy, infrastructure and retail sectors with government, provides further details and background to the findings published in the interim report on 4 February 2013.

Building on the roadmap developed in Phase 1, the second phase of UKH2 Mobility will:

• Develop a detailed business case and an overarching framework to enable all entities involved to commit to specific actions
• Identify instruments and mechanisms necessary to overcome the barriers to achieving the roadmap. As identified in Phase 1, the key points to address are:
- The commercial model for the construction of the initial network of hydrogen refuelling stations
- Options for improving the early consumer proposition, and
- The means to establish a clear pathway, with controls, to the production of low carbon hydrogen with the right purity for fuel cell electric vehicles

Commenting on the report, Business Minister, Michael Fallon MP, said: “Securing new economic opportunities for the UK, diversifying our national energy supply and driving down carbon emissions go to the heart of my job in government. The findings of the report demonstrate hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles can have a real impact on all three.”

With reference to the report, Mike Baunton, SMMT Interim Chief Executive said, “The automotive industry makes and is developing a diverse range of low and ultra-low carbon vehicles from highly efficient petrol and diesel models to hybrid, plug-in hybrid, pure-electric and fuel cell vehicles. As the UKH2Mobility programme clearly demonstrates, significant investment is ongoing, with worldwide R&D powering the continuous improvement of existing technologies and the introduction of other low carbon innovations.”

Shortly after the launch of the report, it was announced that supermarket group Sainbury's is to join the UKH2Mobility project. The company joins Morrisons, utility SSE, and carmakers Hyundai, Daimler, Nissan, and Toyota on the project.

The UKH2Mobility project was first launched in January 2012 to promote the development of hydrogen technologies.The Government says that work on the next phase of the report will begin straight away. 

In separate, but related developments, Toyota and Hyundai have recently joined the Mayor’s London Hydrogen Partnership (LHP), committing to work together to bring hydrogen and fuel cell technology to the capital. A GLA press release says development of a hydrogen economy in London will help support the Mayor’s ambitions to secure new jobs and investment whilst at the same time reducing environmental impact.

Hyundai Motor Company are currently working to produce 1000 FCEV vehicles by 2015 which will be available for lease across Europe.

Over the last few years the LHP has initiated over £50 million worth of hydrogen projects; attracting and rolling-out new hydrogen buses, taxis, scooters, refuelling stations, materials handling vehicles and fuel cell Combined Heat and Power units to London.

For more information, please follow the associated links.

Related Links

< Back to news list