H2 Moves Europe is Anglo’s latest play to stimulate hydrogen market
26 Jun 2024
Anglo American, a founding member of the Ramaphosa administration’s Hydrogen Valley project alongside Engie and Bambili Energy, has announced the launch of H2 Moves Europe. This new initiative is designed to accelerate awareness and adoption of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology in Europe and stimulate market demand to increase the viability of the South African green hydrogen economy.
Japan is South Africa's biggest partner in the hydrogen economy, but Europe will drive the biggest demand.
The initiative builds upon the success of the H2 Moves Berlin pilot project launched in 2023, which has already seen nearly 500,000 passenger journeys completed in FCEV taxis.
H2 Moves Europe aims to further demonstrate the benefits of FCEV technology, such as fast refuelling times and long ranges, to wider audiences.
Anglo is also collaborating with Hype, the world's largest FCEV taxi operator and the official taxi provider of the upcoming Paris Olympics, to deploy two new fleets of zero-emission FCEVs in Paris and Brussels.
“Since 2015, Hype has been a global showcase for the benefits of hydrogen mobility,” said Mathieu Gardies, CEO of Hype.
“We are glad to collaborate with Anglo American to increase our reach and pursue our growth objectives in Paris and in new markets such as Brussels."
The fleets will comprise 250 vehicles in Paris and 50 in Brussels, including a mix of fuel cell-powered Peugeot, Citroën, Toyota and Hyundai models.
Anglo supports emerging transport ecosystems
“Hydrogen-powered FCEVs are expected to play a significant role in the mix of clean drivetrain technologies needed to effectively decarbonise transport” said Benny Oeyen, executive head of market development for Anglo American in a press statement.
“FCEVs are particularly well suited to vehicle fleets, such as taxis and buses, and also offer relief to increasingly pressured battery minerals supply chains”
As a leading producer of platinum, a key component in fuel cells, Anglo has been an early supporter of FCEV technology in the wake of declining PGM sales to the automotive industry – palladium and platinum are both key components of catalytic converters.
The company is now actively supporting emerging ecosystem of hydrogen-powered transport through H2 Moves Europe and other FCEV-focused efforts globally.
The launch of H2 Moves Europe is a significant step towards accelerating the adoption of FCEVs and promoting clean transport in Europe.
It aligns with the growing momentum around refuelling infrastructure and the European Union's Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation.
