Hydrogen-Powered Land Rover Defender Could Soon Be Rolled Out

Jaguar Land Rover to begin trials on Defender hydrogen fuel cell prototype this year

Jaguar Land Rover has announced that it will begin testing a Defender hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) prototype, which is under development, later this year.

The engineering project is dubbed ‘Project Zeus’ and the British automaker has teamed up with several R&D partners to create the Land Rover Defender hydrogen FCEV prototype.

According to the firm, FCEVs (which generate electricity from hydrogen to power an electric motor) are ideal for larger and longer-range vehicles, for they will have minimal loss of range in low temperatures.

Also, hydrogen-powered FCEVs can be refuelled rapidly, like regular ICE cars. BEVs on the other hand, even when plugged into modern fast chargers, need more time to recharge their battery pack.

It is predicted that there could be 10 million FCEVs and 10,000 hydrogen refuelling stations across the globe by the end of the decade. They are complimentary to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) on the journey to net zero vehicle tailpipe emissions, says Jaguar Land Rover.

Testing of the Land Rover Defender hydrogen FCEV will begin this year (as stated above) in the UK and the firm has stated it will verify key attributes such as off-road capability and fuel consumption.