H2Accelerate puts spotlight on hydrogen ICEVs

According to H2Accelerate, H2-ICEVs can help scale the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure by driving early fuel demand, while providing a long-term zero-emission solution for very heavy load road and off-road applications, all while building on Europe’s existing knowledge and manufacturing base. Download the whitepaper here.

The H2Accelerate collaboration, with the support of other industry leaders, has published a new whitepaper outlining the role of hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles (H2-ICEVs) in accelerating Europe’s zero-emission vehicle deployment. Here’s the link to the whitepaper.

According to H2Accelerate, H2-ICEVs can help scale the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure by driving early fuel demand, while providing a long-term zero-emission solution for very heavy load road and off-road applications, all while building on Europe’s existing knowledge and manufacturing base. To leverage the opportunity of H2-ICEVs, Europe must provide the right support to enable large-scale adoption of these vehicles before the end of the decade.

Indeed, hydrogen-powered ICEVs can now qualify as zero-emission vehicles under the updated Heavy-Duty Vehicles CO₂ standards, published in May 2024. Drawing on decades of expertise with conventional internal combustion engines, the automotive sector can repurpose existing manufacturing capacity, supply chains, and engineering expertise to scale H2-ICEV deployment.

As a result, H₂-ICEVs can achieve scaled deployment by the end of the decade and are projected to be the least upfront capital-intensive zero-emission technology until battery electric (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) markets reach higher maturity.