Highway to hydrogen?
The decarbonisation of road transport in the coming decades seems inevitable. Governments around the world are preparing to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in the relatively near future. This includes commercial road vehicles such as HGVs, vans, and buses. For example, the UK government has pledged that within the UK, all new HGVs will be zero emission by 2040 and all new vans will be zero emission by 2030, while the outcome of a consultation on the end of the sale of new, non-zero emission buses, coaches and minibuses is expected soon.
Hydrogen appears to be an attractive option for decarbonisation of commercial vehicles. Hydrogen has a higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries and even diesel, providing the long ranges needed for commercial vehicles. Refuelling also takes a similar time to that of diesel-powered vehicles; significantly quicker than the long charging times presented by battery electric vehicles. This means more time on the road. The payload capacity of hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles is also better than battery electric equivalents with no bulky, heavy batteries occupying otherwise usable cargo space.
There are two ways in which hydrogen can be utilised to power a vehicle. The first is through use of hydrogen directly as a fuel in an internal combustion engine and the second is through the use of hydrogen fuel cells. Both are decarbonised solutions, with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles being zero emission, and the only emission from the combustion of hydrogen being water. Manufacturers are investing in both technologies. For example, DAF’s New Generation XF HGV utilises a hydrogen fuelled internal combustion engine. In another example, Hyundai’s XCIENT HGV utilises a hydrogen fuel cell. A hydrogen fuelled internal combustion engine typically requires less cooling than a hydrogen fuel cell system and is more robust to impurities in hydrogen fuel. However, hydrogen fuelled internal combustion engines are typically less efficient than hydrogen fuel cell systems.
On the other hand, hydrogen has its limitations and not all manufacturers are convinced. For example, the CEO of MAN, Alexander Vlaskamp, considers hydrogen technology to be too expensive and too inefficient – compared to battery electric technology – to be a viable option for the majority of HGVs. Hydrogen is also difficult to store, transport, and expensive to produce, raising the question of whether it presents a commercially viable option as a fuel.
It will be interesting to see where companies invest in the future. Hydrogen technology has the potential to deliver decarbonised commercial vehicles which have long range, are quick to refuel, and have large payload capacity. However, the problems of inefficiency and storage and transport of hydrogen need to be addressed.
In any event, there is great potential for innovation and the development of Intellectual Property (IP) around hydrogen technology within the field of commercial vehicles. At Barker Brettell, our attorneys can provide a seamless service to clients seeking practical solutions for their IP issues in the energy and automotive sectors.
If you would like to discuss options for protecting your invention or innovation, please get in touch with the author or your usual Barker Brettell patent attorney.
