Hydrogen and electric-powered lorry’s will be mass produced in the UK by an Essex-based firm.
Tevva, based in Thurrock, has added a hydrogen fuel cell system to its battery-electric HGV design and according to the start-up the 7.5-tonne truck can be driven for up to 310 miles (500km).
Founder and chief executive Asher Bennett said: “When a zero-emission truck is doing more miles per day, that is very good for the air we breathe, for the planet and for the economics of running electric trucks.
“Every mile you drive on an electric truck, it’s so much cheaper than driving on a diesel truck.
“If you’re concerned about range, and you’re not driving a lot of miles, you’re just not saving enough money as you could.”
Hydrogen is more expensive and harder to obtain than electricity and Mr Bennett said the new lorry’s main fuel will continue to be its electric-powered battery, which is recharged overnight.
The addition of the alternative power supply will “remove the concern” that the battery could run out of power, he claimed.
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“No fleet operator is going to put out a truck in the morning that is going to get anywhere near the limits of its range,” Mr Bennett said.
“Which means putting an electric truck on a much shorter range than it could have done.”
He added that the hydrogen-powered truck will become popular for fleet operators across Europe and North America.
Tevva is offering “affordable” hydrogen supplies to customers, with refuelling taking a similar time to a diesel tank.
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The sale of diesel-powered lorries will be banned by 2040 and Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said hydrogen fuel cells will be “vital to helping decarbonise transport”.
“A thriving UK hydrogen industry could not only help us meet our climate change obligations but also support thousands of jobs across the country in years to come,” she said.
“UK-based manufacturers like Tevva continue to build on the skills and expertise we have in hydrogen in the UK, developing new technologies, supporting economic growth, and working towards net zero.”
