Citroën has added a hydrogen fuel cell system to the Jumpy van, sold in the UK as the Dispatch, designed to provide a solution for fleets with range requirements beyond the battery-electric version.
The e-Jumpy Hydrogen, which is not yet confirmed for the UK but expected to be sold under the Dispatch line-up, features both a hydrogen fuel cell system and 10.5kWh mains rechargeable battery. In selected markets, it will be offered in 4.95-metre and 5.30-metre versions, and sold alongside the battery-electric model.
Conversions are carried out at the hydrogen fuel cell research and development centre in Russelsheim, Germany, offering a range of 250 miles (400km) from two carbon fibre tanks which can be refilled with hydrogen in around three minutes. Citroën said this caters for the 8% of companies who require a longer range than the 180 miles provided by the longer-range electric version, and can’t accommodate the payload compromises of a larger battery pack.
Parent company, Stellantis, has plans to offer hydrogen hydrogen fuel cells across its equivalent Peugeot and Vauxhall models, but has only confirmed left-hand drive versions so far.
The UK has a limited hydrogen refuelling network at present, but investment is incoming. In his Ten Point Plan for an Industrial Revolution, released last November, Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined ambitions for half a billion pounds of investment in hydrogen technologies.
By 2030, it’s hoped that the UK will produce 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen from renewable energy for use in homes and in large vehicles which are hard to electrify with batteries alone.
