Jaguar Land Rover Is Working On A Hydrogen Fuel Cell EV

• by Martin Punter
• June 16, 2021
• 2 min read

The prototype FCEV is based on the Land Rover Defender and is packing a lot of power according to Jaguar Land Rover.

• Jaguar Land Rover is working alongside other companies to
  bring this project to life.
• The firm hopes to achieve zero tailpipe emissions by 2036 and net zero by 2039.
• Testing of the hydrogen prototype is scheduled to begin this year.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is taking more steps in electrifying its catalogue with news of a new 4×4 EV powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

This new EV is based on the popular Land Rover Defender, which should be music to the ears of JLR fans.

To bring this project to life, the British firm is working alongside Delta Motorsport, AVL, Marelli Automotive Systems and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC).

“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.”
— Ralph Clague, JLR

The announced prototype aligns perfectly with JLR’s sustainable plans.

In case you missed it, the automaker has said it would stop building internal combustion engines by 2025.

Moreover, JLR looks to achieve zero tailpipe emissions by 2036 and net-zero carbon emissions across the board by 2039.

Right now, the vehicle is simply a concept. However, we do know that testing of the prototype will begin this year.

A production-ready model could be on sale in the next five years, but take that with a pinch of salt.

The JLR prototype will face competition from other hydrogen-powered FCEVs — like the upcoming Grenadier off-roader from Ineos Automotive.

The number of hydrogen-powered EVs is expected to rise in the coming years. Could this JLR project lead the charge? We certainly hope so.

Martin Punter

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