Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of hydrogen fuelled heavy duty vehicles.

The Government’s long-term goal is the development and deployment of zero emission HGVs. Zero emission technologies are starting to emerge for the HGV sector, particularly for those vehicles with shorter range requirements. Hydrogen is likely to be a feasible zero emission fuel for large, long-haul HGVs.

In 2017, OLEV and Innovate UK awarded £20 million of grant funding to 20 projects through the Low Emissions Freight and Logistics Trial (LEFT), alongside £12m in private investment. The aim is to support industry-led trials of alternative propulsion technologies for commercial fleets in the UK, including electricity, hydrogen and gas. Since 2016, ultra-low emission vehicles heavier than 3.5 tonnes, including hydrogen HGVs, have been eligible for a grant of up to £20,000 per vehicle. The Department expects to make the first awards of this grant shortly.