The world’s first digger powered by a hydrogen combustion engine will soon be on UK roads and building sites following landmark government approval.
The UK government has given special dispensation, under a vehicle special order, that allows JCB to test and use its pioneering hydrogen-powered backhoe loader on UK highways.
The Staffordshire digger maker will now not only be able to try out its groundbreaking machine on the country’s roads but also drive it to and from construction sites to test it capabilities.
JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “Securing this vehicle special order from the Department for Transport is an important first step in getting JCB machines that are powered by hydrogen combustion engines to and from British building sites using the public highway.
“It’s an endorsement that JCB is on the right path in pursuit of its net zero ambitions.
“JCB’s hydrogen-powered backhoe loader is a world first in our industry, a digger with a purpose-engineered internal combustion engine that uses hydrogen gas as the energy source. It’s a real breakthrough – a zero CO2 fuel providing the power to drive the pistons in an internal combustion engine, a technology that’s been around for over 100 years, a technology that we are all familiar with.”
The company has so far invested £100 million into the low-emission green engine technology and created dozens of jobs as part of its drive to harness super-efficient hydrogen power.
Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Jesse Norman, who visited JCB’s World HQ in Rocester, Staffordshire to see first hand the hydrogen-powered excavator in action, said: “From cars to construction sites, industry has a vital role in decarbonising our economy and creating green jobs and prosperity.
“JCB’s investment in greener equipment is a great example of how industry can make this happen, using alternative fuels to generate sustainable economic growth.”
