Ocado has taken delivery of its first hydrogen-powered delivery van, said to offer a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions and less air pollution than a diesel alternative.
The converted Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was supplied by ULEMCo, and uses a dual-fuel system which replaces ‘significant quantities’ of diesel used by the engine with hydrogen. This means it can still utilise the existing emission control systems, said to exceed emissions standards in many cases. Ocado will use the van for grocery deliveries in the West Drayton area.
Graham Thomas, fleet services manager at Ocado explained: “Deployment of this first dual-fuel van represents an important step in developing our plans for cleaner, more efficient fleet operation. We’re particularly interested in ways to ensure we guarantee customer service and achieve the vehicle utilisation levels we currently experience with our conventional vans. Hydrogen dual-fuel looks like an option that can deliver both, and we’re excited to see how it performs in our world.”
Amanda Lyne, CEO of ULEMCo, said: “We are naturally delighted to see another major UK organisation recognise the role that hydrogen fuel can make to achieving cleaner cities. The practicality of converting standard commercial vehicle types has been proven in a growing number of OEM models.”
