The Vauxhall Movano is set to be the second model in the brand’s range to offer a hydrogen powered version, with a launch set for as soon as the end of 2025.
Stellantis showed off a hydrogen version of the Citroen Relay at the launch of the updated models across the brands’ ranges, but it will only be Vauxhall that gets the alternative powertrain in the UK.
Head of LCV product and pricing for Stellantis Pro One UK, Brad Miller, confirmed that there would be a right-hand drive version of the Movano with hydrogen power from quarter four 2025.
The other Stellantis brands could then follow with their own version later in the decade, said Miller.
This follows on from the hydrogen Vauxhall Vivaro, which is currently only available in left-hand drive. This remains the case with the updated version.
Time saving benefits
There are notable benefits to hydrogen, despite the current shortcomings of the UK infrastructure, said Miller.
‘If you can home charge or charge at a depot then BEV [batter electric vehicle] is the best solution, but if you have any reliance on the public network then that changes,’ said Miller. He explained that Vauxhall was well placed to be able to assess the needs of commercial vehicle customers and their transition to zero-emission vans by dint of their being the biggest seller in the Stellantis group and therefore having access to more data and case studies.
‘Some fleets are struggling with engineers who can’t home charge and are spending two to three hours a week in a Morrisons car park,’ he said. ‘They are working more hours which is then causing issues with working contracts.’
In instances such as this, the faster recharging time of a hydrogen van – it takes around five minutes to replenish – is more beneficial.
There are currently only a few hydrogen filling stations in the UK, with some points having closed in 2023 due to a lack of demand. However, Miller said that there is due to be a boom in the number offered in the coming years, with two more coming in 2024, one in St Helens and one in Millbrook, Bedfordshire.
He pointed to Element 2’s plans to rapidly increase the number of stations in the UK in the next five years as a big step in the right direction.
‘Element 2 are doing 50 within five years so we are starting to see a national network,’ he said. ‘A lot of customers will gravitate towards the Tees valley [where some of the stations will be.]’
He also said that there will be plans for depot-based solutions for larger companies that want to take on multiple hydrogen vehicles.
Vauxhall Movano hydrogen range and performance
The Movano hydrogen will use a 45kW fuel cell system made by a partner company, Symbio. Alongside this will be an electric motor that can produce 150hp and 410Nm of torque. It will be a kind of hybrid, as it will also feature a small 11kWh battery that can be plugged in. This will provide up to 310 miles of range with a hydrogen recharging time of around five minutes.
The electric battery provides 31 miles of this range, and is the same system from the Peugeot 5008 plug-in hybrid. As well as helping boost range, it also provides a burst of instant torque.
How much will the hydrogen Vauxhall Movano cost and when can I buy one?
Vauxhall expects that the hydrogen Movanos will be limited to businesses rather than private buyers initially but this will likely change in the longer term.
With the launch date still some way off, there has been no firm pricing indication just yet. However, Miller said that it is likely to be more expensive than the electric version, but should bring back some of that investment on a total cost of ownership basis.
