Oxfordshire County Council is optimising its highway maintenance service through the introduction of a dual-fuel hydrogen and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) truck.
The move will see tailpipe carbon emissions cut by 30 to 40%, supporting the council and its principal highways contractor, M Group, in meeting their wider climate and air quality targets.
Following M Group’s introduction of the new 3.5-tonne truck, Oxfordshire has become the first English council to use hydrogen power for highway maintenance purposes.
It will also be the first hydrogen-powered vehicle added to the company’s UK-wide fleet, which consists of 10,000 vehicles.
The move has involved a standard maintenance truck being retrofitted by hydrogen technology specialists, ULEMCo, with plans for a second heavy goods vehicle (HGV) to be adapted for Oxfordshire’s fleet by 2027.
To support the transition, crews have been trained on how to refuel, maintain and operate the converted vehicles, as well as being informed about driver and public safety.
According to the council, the success of the trial will be measured based on factors including costs, fuel usage efficiency, and the experience of drivers.
Cllr Liz Leffman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Construction and Repair, said: ‘The climate emergency is the biggest challenge the planet faces, and we are committed to not only reaching our own net zero target as a council by 2030 but to enabling Oxfordshire to be carbon neutral well ahead of 2050.
‘We are delighted to be working with M Group to trial this innovative technology which will mean lower emissions and cleaner air across Oxfordshire.’
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Photo: © Oxfordshire County Council.
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