Hydrogen took centre stage at the IAA Transportation show in Hannover with the unveiling of the Renault Master H2-Tech Prototype. Scheduled to go on sale next year, Renault says the Master H2-Tech will be integrated into the firm’s commercial vehicle range, and will be supported by a specific after-sales service and ‘dealers trained in the challenges of hydrogen’.
Hydrogen power is nothing new for the Master van, with the previous-generation model receiving the technology in the H2-Tech of 2022. The new model comes with a series of upgrades from that version however, which Renault says are based on the feedback of its Master H2-Tech users.
The H2-Tech Prototype features a hydrogen system that is fully integrated into the platform with no encroachment into the cargo area or detriment to the payload. The all-electric Master E-Tech has a payload of 1,125kg and a load volume up to 14.8 cubic metres in the largest L3H3 body size.
Renault claimed a maximum range of 310 miles for the old H2-Tech, but with a new battery and more energy-efficient fuel cell technology, the new H2-Tech Prototype promises up to 434 miles. There’s also a bespoke infotainment system to relay key information about the status of the hydrogen system.
With just 16 hydrogen fuel filling stations in the UK, the extra range will come in handy for buyers here, although in the EU this won’t be such a large issue, with both the French and German governments committed to installing hydrogen infrastructure that will allow such vehicles to drive the length of both countries uninterrupted. It’s worth noting that Renault partnered with Plug Power (one of Europe’s leading hydrogen infrastructure companies) to create Hyvia with the original Master H2-Tech - Hyvia is able to create filling stations for businesses to purchase, lease or rent.
The H2-Tech version of the Master van will be built on the same assembly line as the internal-combustion engined and all-electric models at Renault’s Batilly plant in France. Prices haven’t been confirmed at this concept stage.