Jaguar Land Rover develop hydrogen-powered Defender fuel cell prototype

Jaguar Land Rover is in the process of developing a prototype hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) based on their new Land Rover Defender, which is part of Jaguar Land Rover’s medium-term goal to achieve zero tailpipe emissions by 2036 and net zero carbon emissions across its supply chain, products and operations by 2039.

Hydrogen-powered FCEVs provide high energy density, along with rapid refuelling and minimal loss of range in low temperatures, which makes the technology ideal for larger, longer-range vehicles or for those vehicles that operate in hot or cold climates.

The number of FCEVs on the roads around the world today has nearly doubled since 2018, while hydrogen refuelling stations have increased by over 20%. It is predicted that by 2030 hydrogen-powered FCEV deployment could reach 10 million, along with 10,000 refuelling stations worldwide.

Known as Project Zeus, Jaguar Land Rover’s advanced engineering project is partly funded by the government-backed Advanced Propulsion Centre, allowing engineers to understand how a hydrogen powertrain can be optimised to deliver the performance and capability expected by its customers, from the vehicle’s range to refuelling, towing and its off-road capability.

Jaguar Land Rover has teamed up with some world class R&D partners that include Delta Motorsport, AVL, Marelli Automotive Systems and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) to research, develop and create the prototype FCEV, with testing on the new zero tailpipe emission New Defender FCEV prototype beginning towards the end of this year here in the UK.

Ralph Clague, who is Head of Hydrogen and Fuel Cells for Jaguar Land Rover, said:

“We know hydrogen has a role to play in the future powertrain mix across the whole transport industry, and alongside battery electric vehicles, it offers another zero tailpipe emission solution for the specific capabilities and requirements of Jaguar Land Rover’s world class line-up of vehicles. The work done alongside our partners in Project Zeus will help us on our journey to become a net zero carbon business by 2039, as we prepare for the next generation of zero tailpipe emissions vehicles.”

Norway first for promoting EVs with the UK close behind in third

In Europe it is Norway that is offering the most benefits to its citizens with a score of 87/100, which ranks it the highest across four different factors, including highest number of EVs per 100,000 inhabitants and market share of EVs on the road. However, despite the bad reception of the EV Grant reduction by the UK government, the UK manages to come in third with a score of 75/100, just behind Sweden in second, with a score of 82/100.

Affordability is one of the biggest factors hindering EV sales worldwide, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping drivers making the switch in Scandinavia, who have the highest rates of EVs per 100,000 inhabitants, with Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland all featuring in the top 10 positions. Norway has the highest EV per 100,000 inhabitants score with one electric vehicle for every 12 citizens.

Perhaps this is down to the fact that Scandinavians are the best paid citizens across Europe. Select Car Leasing found that buying an electric car in Norway takes up just 53% of the average annual salary compared with a massive 84% of your salary here in the UK.

Mobilize accelerates development for sustainable and responsible mobility

Mobilize has announced new projects, partners and details of its future vehicles at the VIVA Technology showcase in Paris, with ambitions stretching beyond automotive as it looks to promote an ecological transition through flexible, sustainable, use-oriented mobility and energy solutions.

Their vision is to create a circular and all-encompassing programme to support EV uptake by enabling better energy management and giving batteries a second life through recycling.

Mobilize has come up with three all-electric mobility solutions for the transport of people and goods with tailor-made vehicles designed and developed with the focus on user experience and services.

The Mobilize DUO is a two-seater all-electric, compact and connected vehicle, designed with car-sharing services in mind and adapted to the needs of cities and operators. The Mobilize DUO aims to incorporate 50 per cent recycled materials in its manufacturing and be 95 per cent recyclable when it reaches the end of its life cycle, thanks to the Renault Group Re-Factory in Flins.

The Mobilize BENTO is for the delivery and transportation of small-sized goods, based on the Mobilize DUO. Its storage area is designed with small-goods transport in mind and has a compact design and is an easy-access, easy-to-park solution for tradesmen and couriers working in cities and urban environments.

The Mobilize HIPPO is a modular lightweight, all-electric utility vehicle designed to address issues faced by delivery providers in urban, mixed urban, rural and zero-emission zones. The Mobilize HIPPO features several interchangeable cargo elements that meet a range of needs for mixed uses such as refrigerated transport and parcel delivery with a storage capacity of 200kg and up to 3m³.

Global Smart Mobility market to hit over $500B in value in 2021

The increasing trend of on-demand transportation and government initiatives for the development of smart cities continue driving the growth of the global smart mobility market and despite COVID-19 affecting smart mobility revenues, the entire sector is expected to continue growing strongly this year with data presented by AksjeBloggen.com forecasting it to hit a $547bn value in 2021, which is a 37% increase year-over-year.