Energy firm SSE has begun trials of First Hydrogen’s fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), testing the green hydrogen-powered van in real-life settings.

The project will enable SSE to evaluate the benefits of hydrogen mobility alongside its growing fleet of EV engineering and maintenance vehicles as an alternative to fossil fuels.

The van is being operated at an SSE site in Aberdeen, located next to a hydrogen fuel station.

First Hydrogen’s FCEV can travel more than 300 miles on a single tank of fuel, further than equivalent battery electric vehicles (BEV) on a single charge, and can carry heavier loads without compromising on range.

With fast refuelling – approximately five minutes compared to five hours for BEV charging – it also means more vehicle uptime.

The vehicle will be closely monitored throughout the trial via onboard instruments to help First Hydrogen engineers understand fuel consumption, mileage, and vehicle performance in different conditions.

It will also enable them to keep track of the vehicle’s use, location, and status in real-time to keep the drivers and vehicle safe.

SSE has already pledged to switch 2,500 of its vehicles to electric and install charging points for its 11,000 employees to use.

Steve Gill, CEO for First Hydrogen Automotive, said: “We see the future of zero emissions transport as a mix of technologies to suit different vehicle types and usage, with fleets comprising hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric vehicles.

“Trialling the van in the Northeast of Scotland will help us to demonstrate how hydrogen vehicles can carry larger payloads and to compare operational performance in scenarios where BEVs are currently used.”