Vauxhall Vivaro-e Hydrogen confirmed for UK sales
New FCEV variant of van will go on sale in UK in 2023 with three-minute refuelling and 1100kg payload
The Vivaro-e Hydrogen van will be sold in the UK with right-hand drive vehicles set to arrive in the country in early 2023.
The firm is also speaking to corporate fleet and business customers in the UK, and claims the model "perfectly meets the requirements of fleet customers."
The van, a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), will offer up to 249 miles of range with the same load capacity as equivalent combustion and battery-electric models.
“The hydrogen van is the ideal solution for driving long distances with zero-emissions-in-use as well as for transporting larger loads without losing time while charging the batteries," said Marcus Lott, Opel's head of development. "The Opel Vivaro-e Hydrogen leads zero-emissions mobility into the future, especially for commercial use.”
The new addition to Vauxhall's commercial line-up will be sold in left-hand-drive markets by German sister brand Opel from the end of 2021.
The Vivaro-e Hydrogen mates a 45kW fuel cell with three 700bar hydrogen tanks (which can be filled in just three minutes) and uses the same front-mounted 134bhp electric motor as the Vivaro-e BEV.
“We're set to add hydrogen to the line-up as an efficient energy system of the future,” said Vauxhall managing director Paul Willcox. “Vauxhall-Opel has more than 20 years of experience in developing hydrogen fuel technology, which offers zero emissions in use, a long driving range and ultra-fast refuelling.
“We're already in contact with UK fleet operators that want to go the extra mile on sustainability, and we look forward to bringing Vivaro-e Hydrogen to the UK soon."
The Vivaro-e Hydrogen will retain the same body size as existing Vivaro variants, with the choice of standard 4.95m or long 5.30m wheelbase, while payload capacity increases to 1100kg. Cargo volume remains the same, at up to 6.1m3.
The Vivaro-e Hydrogen will be produced at Vauxhall-Opel’s research-and-development Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany.
It will be the brands' first commercially available hydrogen powertrain. Ex-parent company General Motors' experimental Hydro Gen 4 system was brought to the UK for demonstration purposes a decade ago but never found its way into a production car.
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