Scottish hydrogen HGV firm given £30m grant to help make transport greener

A project to develop a hydrogen-powered HGV has been awarded £30 million in support from a joint fund from Government and industry.

HVS has been awarded the cash from the advanced propulsion centre (APC) which receives about half of its £73 million in funding from Government and the rest from the automotive industry.

The Glasgow-based manufacturer is building a hydrogen fuel cell that could be used on heavy goods vehicles which would typically have to use inefficient batteries designed for smaller vehicles.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Our automotive industry is a world-leader, creating jobs whether in Essex, Somerset or Glasgow.

“Seizing the potential from new technologies will be a key part of its future success, while also making our roads cleaner, greener and more affordable.

“Today’s multi-million-pound boost – created by Government working hand-in-hand with industry – will put these firms in pole position to pioneer these innovations, staying at the cutting edge of the global race for decades to come.”

HVS chief executive Jawad Khursheed said: “Our mission to decarbonise heavy-duty transport in the UK has reached a major milestone with the help of the APC grant.

“The UK Government performed rigorous due diligence in selecting HVS to receive this grant – acknowledging that our advanced technology is a key innovation towards achieving zero-emission targets.

“We have successfully produced our first driving fuel cell technology demonstrator vehicle and are on track to deliver the UK’s first-to-market hydrogen fuel cell-powered HGV.

“We have experienced rapid growth at HVS in as little as a year, now with this Government support we will boost innovation, create thousands of UK-based jobs, and build upon our goal towards cleaner HGVs.”