The Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2-ICE) JIP aims to design and build a working hydrogen-powered vehicle to demonstrate the low impact potential of hydrogen-powered engines using current technology.

According to SwRI the vehicle will house an on-board emissions management system to demonstrate that the engine can power a low-emission heavy-duty vehicle producing near-zero carbon dioxide emissions.

Dr. Terry Alger, Executive Director of SwRI’s Sustainable Energy and Mobility Directorate, said, “We believe that sustainably sourced hydrogen in an internal combustion engine, when used in combination with other decarbonisation and clean emissions technologies, can provide low-emissions that are competitive with both battery and fuel-cell electric vehicles.”

Expected to be completed in December 2023, the vehicle will then make appearances at trade shows and ride-and-drive events across the US to demonstrate the technology’s potential as a realistic pathway for decarbonisation.

Alger added, “Battery electric and fuel cell-powered vehicles tend to take up the majority of the conversations surrounding zero-emission vehicle technologies. Through this program, we are working with industry to ensure that current technology, like internal combustion engines, are not left out of the decarbonisation conversations by federal and state regulators.”