The fleet is the culmination of over two years’ work with hydrogen technology experts. Commercial Group will have six hydrogen vans operating across the Capital within the next six months. 

“Being able to offer a hydrogen powered delivery service to customers in London demonstrates the strides that the city is making in its endeavours to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions,” said Simon Graham, Commercial Group’s environmental strategist.

“The results of the project will be shared with a number of other large fleet operators who are also looking to reduce their environmental impacts.”

Hydrogen fuel emits no carbon emissions – only water – at the point of use, offering significant environmental benefits. The projected emissions of the six new vans will therefore be significantly lower than Commercial Group’s existing fleet – already a winner of multiple awards for reducing the environmental impact of deliveries.

The vans will be integrated into Commercial Group’s logistics in London to test the viability of the fuel across a complex delivery network. Operational considerations, including performance, will be closely monitored and analysed to understand what the implications of a wide-scale rollout of hydrogen vans would be to UK fleet operators.

First of many

Diana Raine, European business manager for Hydrogen Energy Systems, Air Products, said: “The deployment of this fleet of hydrogen hybrid vans on London’s roads is an exciting and important component of the LHNE project.

“By operating these vans as part of its delivery network, Commercial is playing a key role in proving the functionality of Air Products’ growing network of Smartfuel fuelling stations across the Capital.

“We hope this will be the first of many hydrogen-powered van fleets to come.”

In the below video, filmed as part of edie’s Resource Revolution leader interview series last year, Graham said he could see a ‘huge opportunity’ for smaller firms, especially those handed down through generations, to take leadership with a new way of working. Read more about what he said at Resource Revolution here.

Luke Nicholls

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