Ricardo has delivered its hydrogen-fuelled research engine to Cummins and automotive supplier BorgWarner as part of Project BRUNEL. This was partially funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).

This new engine has been designed to solely burn hydrogen, with no other carbon-emitting fuels. Additionally, the engine can help research teams evaluate a wide variety of fuels and injector types for increased fuel efficiency and reduced air emissions in a bid to move towards carbon-free heavy-duty propulsion.

The aim of Project BRUNEL is to promote the use of hydrogen as a viable, zero-emission fuel solution across the light commercial vehicle sector.

Matt Beasley, President of Established Mobility at Ricardo, said: “We were delighted to work as part of a group of internationally renowned businesses to develop a new hydrogen propulsion engine. The project has been achieved through strong collaboration between the organisations involved and yet again demonstrates our expertise and experience in hydrogen technologies, where we are working with a range of customers to provide clean, efficient solutions.

“Our engineering experts are advising customers in several areas, across automotive and industrial, as well as in the aerospace sector, on hydrogen. We look forward to continuing to support advancements in the application of this technology.”

Matt Shillito, Senior Project Delivery Lead, APC, said: “Ricardo’s contribution to this collaborative R&D project highlights the world-class capability of the UK automotive sector as the industry continues to pivot towards sustainable, zero-carbon propulsion technologies. The research engine delivered by Ricardo will enable the BRUNEL consortium to push hydrogen combustion technology to the next level, ensuring the cleanest possible combustion while delivering high performance and increased efficiency. The project is a fantastic opportunity for the partner companies to leverage their existing knowledge to meet the challenges of zero-carbon transportation here in the UK.”