JCB has welcomed a decision by the UK Government to change the law to allow hydrogen diggers to be driven on roads.
Minister for the Future of Roads Lilian Greenwood MP has signed a statutory instrument allowing hydrogen fuelled construction and agricultural machinery to use the public highway.
Other hydrogen powered vehicles, including cars, buses and trucks were already permitted by law to use UK roads, but hydrogen-fuelled construction and agricultural machinery were unable to do so until the move.
The move follows JCB investing £100m into a project to develop a hydrogen combustion engine to power JCB’s machines. This project, delivered at JCB’s engine plant in Derbyshire, has been driven by JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford, who challenged the company’s engineers to make a major breakthrough in the use of hydrogen as a fuel in a combustion engine.
JCB has been operating prototype hydrogen-powered Loadall telescopic handlers, backhoe loaders and generators on sites near Birmingham, and is now testing a range of equipment in partnership with rental companies and leading contractors across the UK.
A hydrogen powered JCB digger was driven around London’s roads to mark the announcement.
Lilian Greenwood said:
“Today shows once again we are on the side of British business, as we now allow hydrogen-powered diggers and tractors to be legally driven on UK roads for the first time.
“We’re supporting the UK’s Plan for Change by working closely with brilliant British companies like JCB to harness the opportunities of the net zero transition, driving innovation and creating jobs to put money in the pockets of hardworking people and secure our future.”
Lord Bamford said:
“The JCB team has done amazing work to develop a hydrogen combustion engine. It has already been given resounding backing from our customers who have been evaluating the technology; they say it is simple to use and performs as well as diesel counterparts.
“We are delighted that the Government has now endorsed the use of hydrogen in machinery. There has been a lot of work to get to this point. It is truly a historic day for JCB and a milestone moment for the use of hydrogen as a zero-carbon fuel in the construction and agricultural machinery industries. We now have the legislation that allows hydrogen powered machines to drive on the road between sites and between farms.”
Image courtesy of JCB
