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JCB CONVERTS DIESEL TRUCK TO HYDROGEN FUEL

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JCB has successfully installed a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine in a 7.5-tonne Mercedes Atego truck. The farm and construction machinery specialist completed the retrofit in just days. The internal combustion engine used in the truck is the same as those already powering JCB prototype hydrogen construction and agricultural machines as part of the company’s £100 million hydrogen project, and is based on a common bottom-end shared with the successful JCB diesel engines. Major modifications include a spark ignition system, lower-compression pistons and a larger turbocharger.

JCB chairman Lord Bamford said: “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.”

The British company has already manufactured 50 hydrogen internal combustion engines in a project involving 150 engineers and they now power prototype JCB backhoe loader and Loadall telescopic handler machines.

The truck at the centre of the latest project was formerly dieselpowered and the switch to hydrogen is a breakthrough which underlines that this form of power could represent a quick way to reach global CO2 emissions targets without the massive and expensive re-engineering required for fuel cell and battery electrics.

JCB developed the world’s first working hydrogen-powered construction and agricultural machines. Last year JCB revealed another industry first – a mobile hydrogen refueller which provides a quick and straightforward way to refuel machines on site. JCB’s hydrogen internal combustion engines are manufactured at JCB Power Systems in Derbyshire.

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