JCB held an event in the U.K. this week to show the North American press its 4-cylinder, 4.8L hydrogen combustion engine, which has been installed in a working 3CX backhoe loader and 542-70 Loadall telehandler for testing and refinement.
It also showed a modified a Fastrac ag tractor and trailer combination as a mobile hydrogen engine refueling truck.
Already selling compact electric equipment to contractors (a compact excavator, telehandler, site dumper, scissor lift, mini skid steer, and forklift), JCB has investigated ways to "scale up" zero-emission solutions into larger equipment such as its 220X large excavator. First, it tried multiple batteries, which was cost and weight prohibitive, according to Tim Burnhope, JCB's chief innovation officer.
Then, the company looked at a hydrogen fuel cell system, going so far as to produce a hydrogen fuel cell version large excavator. "Too complicated, not robust, and too expensive," Burnhope says.
In the meantime, company chairman Lord Bamford, eyeing many countries' commitment to zero carbon emissions by 2050, challenged JCB engineers to develop a hydrogen combustion engine without fuel cells. This was in 2020. They did it quickly, energized by a company-wide campaign called "Road to Zero."
There are currently multiple hydrogen combustion engines undergoing 24-hour testing on company dynamometers generating mountains of data, but contractor testing of the hydrogen units in the dirt is still a year or so away, according to Chris Giorgianni, VP, government & defense, product & marketing in the U.S.
Though JCB is not exhibiting at Conexpo proper, JCB Power Systems will bring the hydrogen combustion engine to Las Vegas as part of its stand at the International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE).
