JCB hydrogen milestone

21 June 2023

JCB recently marked the manufacture of the fiftieth hydrogen internal combustion engine at its dedicated Power Systems factory. The project started two years ago and is the result of a £100 million investment involving a team of 150 engineers.

JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “The JCB engineering team has done a fantastic job to develop a brand-new hydrogen engine. They have gone back to first principles to completely re-design the combustion process to work for hydrogen. 

“In doing so they have achieved two major things: secured JCB’s place in history as the first construction equipment company to develop a fully working combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen and steered us towards the production of a landmark 50 hydrogen combustion engines.”

The company has also examined other alternative fuels that can deliver zero emissions, such HVO, biogas, E-fuels and ammonia.

“The majority of these alternative fuels require the production of hydrogen to make, so it makes perfect sense to use hydrogen in the first place because it is a clean zero carbon fuel which can be produced from renewable energy,” added Lord Bamford. 

“Hydrogen also offers a potential solution to the challenge of batteries on larger machines; it allows for fast refuelling and is a mobile fuel solution, allowing fuel to be taken to the machine.

“The unique combustion properties of hydrogen enable the hydrogen engine to deliver the same power, the same torque, and the same efficiency that powers JCB machines today, but in a zero-carbon way. 

“Hydrogen combustion engines also offer other significant benefits. By leveraging diesel engine technology and components, they do not require rare earth elements and critically, combustion technology is already well proven on construction and agricultural equipment. It is a technology which is cost-effective, robust, reliable and well-known throughout not just the construction and agricultural industry, but the whole world.”