American automaker, Ford Motor (NYSE:F) announced Monday that the company will test a small fleet of prototype hydrogen fuel-cell versions of its electric E-Transit model in the U.K. to see if they are a workable zero-emission option for customers hauling heavy goods long distances.
Ford will lead a small consortium in the three-year project that includes BP (LON:BP) (NYSE:BP), which will focus on hydrogen and infrastructure, and Ocado (LON:OCDO), a British online supermarket and technology group.
"Ford believes that the primary application of fuel cells could be in its largest, heaviest commercial vehicles to ensure they are emission-free, while satisfying the high daily energy requirements our customers demand," Ford's U.K. chairman Tim Slatter said in a statement.
While most of the world's combustion engine cars should be replaced by battery electric vehicles (BEVs) over the next two decades, hydrogen fuel-cell proponents and some long-haul fleet operators say batteries are too heavy, take too long to charge and could overload power grids.
However, vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells can refuel in minutes and have a much longer range than BEVs.
The project is partially funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre, a government and auto industry venture.
Shares of F and BP are down 0.58% and 1% respectively in premarket trading on Tuesday.