Stellantis, the new group formed by the merger of PSA and Fiat Chrysler has announced its intention to start production of hydrogen fuel cell/electric plug-in hybrid vans by the end of 2021.

The new plug-in fuel cell electric powertrain will be an option on the mid-sized LCVs, the Citroen Dispatch, Vauxhall/Opel Vivaro and the Peugeot Expert and will have a range of around 250 miles on a single charge/tank. The new vans will sit alongside all electric model options which will also be available by the year end.   

The van design will see a 45kW fuel cell housed under the bonnet next to an electric drive motor, with a 4.4kg hydrogen tank under the floor. This will mean load capacity is not affected. The power sources will be mixed according to type of operation. For example, the battery provides the power source at a standstill, low speeds and under acceleration. The fuel cell will deliver the power at cruising speeds when there is less energy draw. The system also gathers energy through regenerative braking and deceleration.

Pre-production versions of the vans are now being road tested, however, the initial price tag of the vans maybe higher than most budgets due to the cost of the new technology. The lack of hydrogen fuel infrastructure may also deter early adoption in Ireland.