JCB unveils the first mobile tank for refueling hydrogen machinery

JCB is investing £ 100 million in a project to produce super efficient hydrogen engines and has already presented working prototypes of a hydrogen-powered backhoe loader and telehandler. A few days ago the company announced another innovation in the sector: a mobile hydrogen refueling system that offers users a quick and easy way to refuel their machines directly on site.

About 97% of construction machines are refueled directly during construction work. This means that operators are already accustomed to “transportable” fuel, which allows refueling in minutes.

JCB’s President Lord Bamford, who is leading the JCB hydrogen project himself, said: “Since we became the first construction equipment company to introduce hydrogen-powered models, many have asked us how we can supply them with fuel. Well, today we have an answer with our new mobile hydrogen refueling system, which allows you to take hydrogen from trailers on site and distribute it to the machines from our system while they work in the workplace. This way of operating is no different from what is in use today, for example, with diesel transported to the construction site for refueling the machines. Fossil fuels are not the future; hydrogen is the practical solution to power our machines for decades to come. Our British engineers are doing a fantastic job in developing this technology and we already see many other interesting developments in the future.”

A team of 100 engineers is working on the project. The first hydrogen powered machine to be presented was a JCB backhoe loader followed, a year ago, by a telehandler. This technology was shown at COP26 in Glasgow, where world leaders discussed measures to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

JCB has been manufacturing engines since 2004 in factories in Derbyshire and Delhi, India. Last year JCB celebrated an important milestone with the production of its 750,000^th engine.