Amey introduces hydrogen-powered vehicles, zero emissions

Amey, the UK subsidiary of Ferrovial Services, is bringing two hydrogen-powered vans into its road maintenance contract. These will be working on a trial basis for a period of two years, alongside the two electric vans that are already part of the Olive Grove company depot. In addition to these hydrogen vehicles, the company is planning to introduce 15 new electric vehicles to the contract, in order to replace its current diesel vans and so contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions. The new vans are the Renault Kangoo ZE, an electric car that has been fitted with a hydrogen cell to boost battery life by over 300 km. The hydrogen is provided by ITM Power from its plant in Sheffield, one of the few suppliers of this gas outside London. The results of this two-year trial will be monitored by Amey and the UK Department for Transport to ascertain the capacities of hydrogen-powered vehicles. This trial has been driven by the Department for Transport, and specifically by its Office for Low Emission Vehicles, which is funding the trial. Vans of this type are usually more expensive to buy initially than electric or diesel vehicles. Amey and the British Government are not the only institutions committed to hydrogen vehicles. Just a few weeks ago, the city council announced that it was incorporating 5 hydrogen vehicles to its fleet. Moreover, the Department of Transport is studying the possibility of applying this technology to the country’s trains.