JCB claims to be the first construction equipment company to develop a fully working combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen thanks to a £100m development progamme.
JCB has had a team of 150 staff working on its hydrogen engine for more than three years.
It has now secured type approvals from 11 licensing authorities across 10 European countries, so far, allowing it to be used commercially in machines.
JCB chairman Anthony Bamford said: “To start the New Year with certification in place in so many European countries bodes very well for the future of hydrogen combustion technology. JCB has proved in recent years that it is a proper zero emissions solution for construction and agricultural equipment.
“This formal type approval/certification paves the way for the sale and use of hydrogen engines right across the UK and Europe. I couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the year. Most of all, I am delighted for our team of British engineers who have worked tirelessly to reach this stage.”
The Dutch vehicle authority RDW was the first licensing authority to issue official certification, giving permission for the engine to sold in the Netherlands. Other licensing bodies across Europe have followed RDW’s lead, including Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Finland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. (Great Britain and Northern Ireland have separate licensing regimes despite being in the same country.)
JCB has already produced more than 130 evaluation engines, which are powering backhoe loaders, telehandlers and generator sets. Real-world testing of JCB’s hydrogen equipment on customers’ sites is now at an advanced stage and said to be “progressing well”.
