Shell has launched its first hydrogen refuelling station in the UK, with plans to open two more before the end of 2017.
The new hydrogen refuelling stop is located at Cobham service on the M25, which is Britain’s busiest fuel station. It is the first fully branded and public hydrogen refuelling site in Britain.
Cars driven by hydrogen fuel cells can potentially travel for hundreds of miles with minimal environmental impact, yet this kind of alternative-fuelled vehicle has struggled to really catch on in Britain.
Only one hydrogen-powered car is currently offered in Britain, the Toyota Mirai, although the Hyundai ix35 Fuell Cell and Honda Clarity are other hydrogen cars which were sold in limited numbers in the past.
But with the arrival of a refuelling station at one of Britain’s most active services, and with backing from a major company in Shell, hydrogen-powered cars have a better chance now of catching some more mainstream attention.
The vice president of future fuels at Shell, Matthew Tipper, said: “Hydrogen has the potential to become a clean and versatile transport fuel for the future, and the Cobham hydrogen site is one of the ways Shell is encouraging the use of alternative fuels to contribute to the energy transition.”
