British Gas has teamed up with Ryze Power to carry out hydrogen-powered van trials as it looks to decarbonise its fleet and reach net zero by 2040.
Over the course of two months, British Gas will trial a Vauxhall Vivaro van on hydrogen powered provided by Ryze in Birmingham, making use of Ryze’s refuelling station at Tyseley throughout the working day. Highlighting the advantages of a hydrogen-powered van, British Gas pointed to water vapour being the only source of emissions and the inclusion of a battery “a fraction of the size of that in an EV” which means less mining for precious metals is required.
Rob Simister, Direct of Fleet, said: “We are fully committed to the electrification of our fleet and we continue to invest in battery electric vehicles, as they will always be part of our net zero fleet mix. However, we see a time when hydrogen could play a role too, especially for engineers who don’t have easy access to charging options. When fully available and with the refuelling network to support it, operating hydrogen vans is much the same as a diesel, allowing our engineers to fill up in minutes and spend their time where it matters most, helping our customers.”
