Stellantis is preparing to enter the hydrogen powered commercial car market with fuel cell versions of the Peugeot e-Expert and Citroen e-Dispatch, currently available as battery electric models only.
Small scale production of the vans will commence in late 2021 and they will be available to select customers in France and Germany. Both brands plan to assess the use case and adoption of the vans over the next two years, with the possibility of a larger scale launch including the UK by late 2023.
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Stellantis says the hydrogen technology underpinning the vans gives the Peugeot e-Expert and Citroen e-Dispatch a maximum range of 400km (around 250 miles), while refueling times are comparable to that of a diesel van at around three minutes.
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The 50kWh battery has been replaced with three tanks that can carry 4.4kg of hydrogen, while there’s a 10.5kWh battery under the seats which can be charged independently of the fuel cell.
The battery can store enough electrical power for a maximum range of 31 miles which ought to be just enough to get you to the nearest hydrogen fuel station if you live in the city. However, the battery’s placement in the cabin implies the hydrogen vans will only be available with two seats up front, rather than the typical three.
