Renault Master to get hydrogen fuel-cell power in 2022
French brand to offer hydrogen version of van for companies that need a long-range, zero-emissions alternative to an EVRenault has announced it will introduce a new Master ZE Hydrogen van in Europe late this year, offering fleets a genuine long-range, zero-emissions alternative to a diesel.
The new hydrogen fuel-cell powered large van will be sold alongside the current pure-electric Master ZE that only has a 160km range.
Designed to be used on far longer, high-speed routes where electric vans usually struggle to match the manufacturer's claimed range, the Master ZE Hydrogen is said to be capable of covering up to 600km between top-ups.
Better still, instead of a lengthy charging rate and the associated downtime, the hydrogen Renault can be filled from empty in around five to 10 minutes, not far off a conventional combustion-powered van.
Full details of the Master ZE Hydrogen, which is being developed in partnership with hydrogen expert Plug Power, will be released closer to its launch in late 2021.
Renault is believed to be a big fan of hydrogen power as a zero-emission alternative to electric vans with huge expensive batteries on board.
The French brand has also trialed FCEV-converted Master ZE and smaller Kangoo ZE vans since 2019.
Pricing is yet to be confirmed and a lack of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure Down Under will almost certainly rule it out here in the near future.
A limited-production Kangoo ZE Hydrogen van previously offered in Europe was prohibitively expensive, costing around $70,000 – more than twice the price of the most expensive diesel version.
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