LHNE showcases fuel cell range on the M25

The London Hydrogen Network Expansion programme (LHNE) is set to showcase its fuel cell range in an M25 marathon spanning five days and nights.

The government supported scheme will see partners attempting to set new records for the longest journey on one tank of hydrogen, with the existing record being 435 miles and the longest continuous fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) journey being 6,024 miles.

The project is due to begin on Monday 14 March and is part of the LHNE’s efforts to increase awareness of the benefits of hydrogen-fuelled cars and their environmental credentials. With most hydrogen cars possessing similar ranges and refuelling times to those of petrol or diesel cars they can be considered as a direct replacement for conventional vehicles.

LHNE is co-funded by Innovate UK and was set up in 2012 to create the UK’s first hydrogen powered transport system across London and the South East. The programme has delivered a new publicly accessible SmartFuel hydrogen refuelling station and upgraded a second point to the requisite 700 bar pressure status.

Diana Raine, European business manager of hydrogen energy systems at Air Products, which has led the LHNE project, said: “The LHNE project is part of a range of hydrogen transport initiatives; many companies, organisations and bodies have been working for several years to establish the foundations of a hydrogen transport system in the UK.

“Although much progress has been made, limited refuelling station coverage is one of the main issues restricting further uptake of FCEVs in the UK. A further public-private sector push will be required to move the sector to the next level.”

GreenFleet is pleased to confirm that it will be taking the wheel of the Hyundai 1x35 Fuel Cell on 16 March and will attempt to complete 50 clockwise laps of the M25 in record time.

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