JCB to debut hydrogen engine at UK agricultural event

JCB will showcase a pioneering hydrogen-fuelled engine for the first time on public display at a UK agricultural event during the Royal Highland Show.

From Thursday, 19 June to Sunday, 22 June the engine will be a centrepiece of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Show Society’s (RHASS) Presidential Solutions Hub at Ingliston, Edinburgh.

An example of the cutting-edge solutions being developed to help meet Net Zero climate targets, the hydrogen power unit is claimed to match the performance characteristics of the company’s DieselMAX engine used in JCB’s iconic backhoe loaders, Loadall telehandlers and other JCB equipment.

Lord Bamford with the JCB hydrogen-fuelled engine. Source: jcb.com

A team of 150 engineers have been working on the £100 million JCB hydrogen engine project for nearly four years.

Since the first prototype build, 130 evaluation units have been assembled for exhaustive testing and a number of those engines – including the refuelling options that JCB has also developed – are being tested in real-world on-site situations by several plant hire companies, with very positive results.

Key legislative hurdles have also been cleared this year; in May the engine received full EU type-approval, allowing its use in JCB and other OEM off-highway machinery as it complies with EU Stage V emissions rules.

George Lyon, President of the Royal Highland society said: “Over the past year, the RHASS Presidency has been promoting new, innovative solutions that farmers can use to meet the challenge of Net Zero. We are delighted that JCB are contributing to the Solutions Hub at the show with their new hydrogen engine, which represents an opportunity to switch to a “green” fuel while retaining familiar combustion engine technology.”

For more information, visit www.jcb.com.