JCB injects GBP100 million into hydrogen engine project

JCB was one of the first equipment manufacturers in the world to commercialise its electric powered range of machinery, and now the company is keen to pip others to the post once again with a hydrogen powered line-up.

Mid last year, JCB unveiled what it claims to be the world’s first hydrogen excavator, which is based on the 220X excavator from the X-series. The machine at the time has undergone 12 months of testing at a quarry and will undergo further tests as engineers continue to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology for construction equipment.

JCB has proceeded to unveil a couple more prototype hydrogen powered machinery since then, namely a hydrogen powered JCB backhoe loader and recently, a Loadall telescopic handler just last week at a launch event in London attended by UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

Currently, JCB has a team of 100 engineers working on the hydrogen engine project, with the company looking to recruit 50 more in the coming months as it looks to release its first commercial range of hydrogen powered machines by the end of 2022.

JCB has been manufacturing engines since 2004 at plants in Derbyshire in the UK and in Delhi, India. That should give the company good leverage to produce hydrogen equivalents and be on track to achieve its goal by end of next year.

“Great British manufacturers like JCB are developing innovative solutions to slash greenhouse emissions and advance the UK’s green industrial revolution,” Prime Minister Johnson said.

“It was fantastic to see JCB’s super-efficient hydrogen engines, which could overhaul UK manufacturing, help us to rapidly reach our climate targets and ramp up the UK’s hydrogen economy – an exciting area that will be essential to tackling climate change, creating new jobs and attracting investment.”

JCB Chairman, Lord Bamford, said it was the company’s corporate responsibility to investigate solutions that will help cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce its carbon footprint.

“We make machines which are powered by diesel so we have to find a solution and we are doing something about it now,” he said.

“We are investing in hydrogen as we don’t see electric being the all-round solution, particularly not for our industry because it can only be used to power smaller machines.

“It does mean we will carry on making engines, but they will be super-efficient, affordable, high-tech hydrogen motors with zero CO2 emissions, which can be brought to market quickly using our existing supply base.

“These will be our industry’s first hydrogen engines, developed in Great Britain by British engineers. Hydrogen motors have the potential to help the UK reach CO2 emissions targets more quickly.”