JCB has made a major breakthrough in proving the wider appeal of hydrogen combustion technology by installing one of its super-efficient hydrogen engines into a 7.5 tonne Mercedes truck.
The installation was completed in just days and one of the truck's first test drivers was JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford, who has been spearheading JCB's £100 million hydrogen project.
The internal combustion engine used in the truck is the same as those already powering JCB's prototype construction and agricultural machines.
The truck at the centre of the latest project was formerly diesel-powered and the switch to hydrogen is a breakthrough which underlines that this sort of power could represent a much quicker way to reach global carbon dioxide emissions targets.
This is a giant leap forward for JCB and the rest of the world because we all have one goal: to reduce emissions. The hydrogen engine we have installed in the truck is the same as those already powering prototype JCB machines, so there is no reason we should not see hydrogen combustion engines in vehicles used on the roads in the future, including cars.
Innovation. That's what JCB has been delivering for over 75 years. Now we're working on hydrogen combustion engines, so that our agricultural and construction machinery can be net zero on carbon emissions.
To support hydrogen equipment, JCB has developed a hydrogen refueling unit which stores hydrogen in cylinders.
JCB is set to showcase its super-efficient hydrogen combustion technology on the international stage for the first time ever with a debut in North America.