Johnson Matthey has opened its first hydrogen internal combustion engine (H₂ICE) facility in what appears to be a healthy bet ahead of the European Union’s delay of zero-tailpipe vehicle sales previously slated for 2035.
A Dec. 16 statement published by Europe’s trade body, the European Commission, said lawmakers have agreed to allow “plug-in hybrids (PHEV), range extenders, mild hybrids, and internal combustion engine vehicles to still play a role beyond 2035.”
The move is the culmination of growing warnings by both automotive industry leaders and politicians, such as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, that an ICE ban could decimate Europe’s legacy brands.
So, Johnson Matthey’s Dec. 11 announcement that it has opened a new center of H₂ICE excellence in Gothenburg, Sweden, to strengthen its world-class heavy-duty vehicle testing capabilities places the company ahead of the curve.
Interest in burning hydrogen in traditional engines has increased this year, with companies including South Korean automaker KGM and Mahle Powertrain seeing the technology as a fast way to expand hydrogen infrastructure ahead of the rollout of hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains.
Johnson Matthey said in its release that the tried-and-tested engine technology, presents “a viable path for decarbonizing medium and heavy-duty transport, such as trucks and buses.”
The center has been completed on time and on budget, representing a £2.5 million ($3.35 million) investment over three years.
The facility, already a test site for medium and heavy-duty diesel engines, supports H₂ICE engines up to 600 kW (800 hp).
It will now test the performance of catalysts within the wider engine after-treatment and control systems, providing key insights into the development of hydrogen mobility solutions, said the company.
“For more than two centuries, JM has helped tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges,” said Tauseef Salma, Johnson Matthey’s chief technology officer for clean air, in a statement. “We continue to do so today because it’s in our DNA,” she added.
Johnson Matthey is a founding member of the Global Hydrogen Mobility Alliance, a coalition of more than 30 major companies across the automotive, energy and technology sectors, aiming to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen solutions in Europe's transport sector.
The alliance, which includes companies such as BMW, Toyota, Hyundai, Air Liquide, and Linde, is urging EU policymakers to prioritize hydrogen mobility as a key component of their decarbonization and industrial strategies, the company said in a statement.
