Jaguar Land Rover will develop a hydrogen-powered fuel cell based on the new Land Rover Defender. The prototype will begin testing this year and it comes as part of the company’s aim to achieve zero tailpipe emissions by 2036.

The hydrogen fuel cell EV (FCEV) will act as a complement to battery EVs on the journey to net zero vehicle emissions. The hydrogen-powered FCEV gives users high energy density and rapid refuelling alongside minimal loss of range in low temperatures, making it ideal for larger, longer-range vehicles.

Since 2018, the global number of FCEVs on the road has nearly doubled while hydrogen refuelling stations have increased by more than 20%. By 2030, forecasts predict hydrogen-powered FCEV deployment could top ten million with 10,000 refuelling stations worldwide.

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

To deliver Project Zeus, Jaguar Land Rover has teamed up with world class R&D partners, including Delta Motorsport, AVL, Marelli Automotive Systems and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) to research, develop and create the prototype FCEV.

“We know hydrogen has a role to play in the future powertrain mix across the whole transport industry, and alongside battery EVs, it offers another zero tailpipe emission solution for the specific capabilities and requirements of Jaguar Land Rover’s world class line-up of vehicles,” Jaguar Land Rover head of hydrogen and fuel cells Ralph Clague explains.

“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.”