- UK H2 Mobility aims to introduce hydrogen infrastructure in Britain
- Opel/Vauxhall to share experience from successful European fuel cell market test
Rüsselsheim/London. Opel/Vauxhall has joined forces with the UK H2 Mobility initiative to promote the manufacturing and use of hydrogen vehicles in Britain.
UK H2 Mobility will prepare an action plan aimed at turning the UK into a leading global hydrogen vehicle player.
The initiative which is backed by the British government and local industry is in addition to Opel’s successful fuel cell vehicle market test in Germany as part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP).
The industrial partners taking part in the UK project include utilities and infrastructure companies as well as car manufacturers. The long term goal is to make hydrogen transport feasible with a view to cutting carbon emissions while providing economic benefits. The UK H2 Mobility group is expected to produce a roadmap by the end of the year to support the commercial roll out from 2014 onwards.
At the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the UK Government and 13 representatives from industry, Vauxhall’s Director for Government Affairs and Public Policy, Bill Parfitt, said: “Following our company’s unrelenting focus on hydrogen fuel cell technology development, the launch and successful roll-out of these vehicles will now depend on the availability of hydrogen to the consumer in a real life environment. We therefore greatly appreciate this very timely initiative, gathering various stakeholders, under government leadership, to establish an adequate strategy for the future development of hydrogen technology in the UK.”
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles combine all the advantages of conventional electric vehicles, with the additional benefits of fast fuelling and long range. Opel/Vauxhall has been investing in research and development of hydrogen fuel cell technologies for over a decade.
Opel/Vauxhall’s European hydrogen vehicle test fleet now includes 30 cars in Germany. Since 2008, more than 100 fuel cell vehicles have clocked up around three million kilometers worldwide. Opel/Vauxhall will share insights gained during the test and expects the technology to be ready for its market launch by 2016.
Opel/Vauxhall is a pioneer in the field of alternative propulsion which apart from hydrogen fueled vehicles also includes CNG, LPG and electric cars. As part of the brand’s E-mobility program, the revolutionary Ampera with range extender is the first electrically driven vehicle that can go anywhere anytime. It has just been nominated as a finalist for the “Car of the Year 2012” award.
The UK is widely regarded as having a great deal of potential for the development of ultra-low emission vehicle technologies.
