Stellantis Pro One Expands its Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Commercial Lineup in Europe

When Stellantis announced its Dare Forward 2030 business strategy, aside from producing 75 new battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) over the course of the decade, the automaker also wants to become carbon-neutral. To do the latter, that means making cleaner and better vehicles that use alternative fuel, and on a global scale. Aside from BEVs, Stellantis is also looking into hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs), with plans to release its first one as a hydrogen-powered Ram HD truck. To expand the global lineup and push HFCVs forward, Stellantis Pro One announced an expansion in its production of HFCVs for both mid-size and large van models in Hordain (France) and Gliwice (Poland).

“The action to bring hydrogen fuel cell mid-size vans and add fuel cell large vans to our production lines is a proof point of our commitment to maintain the lead in cutting-edge hydrogen technology and make it available to our most demanding customers…The skills and dedication of our engineering and operational teams are essential as we pursue the ambitions of Dare Forward 2030 and maintain the lead in the zero-emission commercial vehicle segment.” – Jean-Michel Billig, Stellantis Chief Technology Officer, Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Development

Stellantis Pro One may not be too well-known of a name, but it’s more or less the party responsible for producing commercial vehicles for the Stellantis lineup. Offering solutions from the Citroën, FIAT Professional, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, and Vauxhall brands to professional consumers, Stellantis Pro One is aimed at a 40 percent ratio of electric vehicle mix with battery, hydrogen fuel-cell, and other range-extending propulsion technologies to hit those Dare Forward carbon reduction targets. This new production announcement for mid-size and large vans comes off the heels of the October 2023 revamp of the van lineup for commercial vehicle businesses. Recent tech from Stellantis has been coming to make commercial fleets more capable with electrified powertrains, safety features such as its ADAS and road-hazard safety, and car connectivity tech.

Stellantis Pro One already has a good handle on commercial vehicle manufacturing, known as a leader in Europe with Mangualde (Portugal), Vigo (Spain), and Ellesmere Port (UK) selling compact vans; Hordain (France) and Luton (UK) selling mid-size vans; and Atessa (Italy) and Gliwice (Poland) their regions for large-size vans. These new and upcoming fuel cell versions of the commercial vans creates a great opening for the company to expand its zero-emission offers beyond BEVs, as well as create a great testing ground to find out what works and what can be improved.

The current HFCV tech is doing well, with sizeable driving ranges and quick refueling times. Mid-size vans are currently being outfitted with a second generation of the fuel cell system, quoting a driving range of 250 miles and refueling in under four minutes. For the large vans, the driving range is as much as 300 miles, able to refuel in just five minutes. HFCVs could definitely have BEVs beat in just a few years, already able to offer just as much of a driving range as BEVs and fueling up as fast as vehicles today that visit gas stations.

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Photo Source/Copyright: Stellantis Media