Vauxhall begin customer trials of hydrogen van in the UK

Some of the UK’s largest fleet companies have begun trials of the Vauxhall Vivaro Hydrogen, in advance of the company making their largest light commercial vehicle, the Movano Hydrogen, commercially available later this year.

The Vivaro Hydrogen is based on the existing, fully electric Vivaro Electric and its arrival makes Vauxhall the only manufacturer offering two zero emission solutions – battery electric and fuel cell.

The Vivaro Hydrogen has a 45kW fuel cell and 10.5kWh lithium-ion battery, which will given the van a range of around 249 miles. Significantly the hydrogen fuel tanks can be fully refuelled in five minutes.

The battery provides dynamic peak power when required, such as at start-up and under acceleration. It also ensures optimum performance of the fuel cell and allows for regenerative braking. The plug-in capability enables the battery to be re-charged externally if necessary, providing 31 miles of pure battery electric range.

In January, Vauxhall announced that they were partnering with Ryze Hydrogen to develop hydrogen charging infrastructure solutions for fleet operators, allowing businesses to run hydrogen vehicles and refuel them either on-site or at a located refuelling facility.

The UK trial comes ahead of the launch of Movano Hydrogen, with orders opening later this year and deliveries expected next year. The Movano will offer a range of up to 311 miles.

James Taylor, Managing Director, Vauxhall, said: ‘As the UK’s best-selling electric van manufacturer for the past three years, we are already leading the way in electrifying Britain’s businesses. With a 311-mile range, zero-emissions-in-use and quick refuelling, the Movano Hydrogen will provide fleets with another sustainable option alongside our full line-up of battery electric vans. I look forward to hearing feedback from fleet operators taking part in the trial ahead of the commercial launch of Movano Hydrogen later this year.’