Ford to test small fleet of hydrogen fuel-cell E-Transit models in U.K.

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Ford will lead a small consortium in the three-year project that includes BP (LON:BP) (NYSE:BP), which will focus on hydrogen and infrastructure, and Ocado (LON:OCDO), a British online supermarket and technology group.

“Ford believes that the primary application of fuel cells could be in its largest, heaviest commercial vehicles to ensure they are emission-free, while satisfying the high daily energy requirements our customers demand,” Ford’s U.K. chairman Tim Slatter said in a statement.

While most of the world’s combustion engine cars should be replaced by battery electric vehicles (BEVs) over the next two decades, hydrogen fuel-cell proponents and some long-haul fleet operators say batteries are too heavy, take too long to charge and could overload power grids.

However, vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells can refuel in minutes and have a much longer range than BEVs.

The project is partially funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre, a government and auto industry venture.

Shares of F and BP are down 0.58% and 1% respectively in premarket trading on Tuesday.