Hyundai has welcomed the Government’s £6.6 million investment in a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.

The package of measures will see an initial network of 12 hydrogen refuelling stations, including a pledge to fund the construction of two new stations in the Greater London area, a new mobile refuelling station for the south of England and upgrades to existing stations in Sheffield, Swindon, Wales and London.

Commenting on the move, Tony Whitehorn, president & CEO of Hyundai Motor UK, said: “The announcement from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills provides a further boost to Britain’s hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. The additional stations and package of upgrades will make Fuel Cell vehicles a viable option for more fleet and private customers.”

“As the first global carmaker to begin UK delivers of fuel cell passenger cars in 2014, Hyundai welcomes this investment which will support the rollout of hydrogen technology to additional customers.”

Air Products, ITM Power, Johnson Matthey and Transport for London were among the first organisations to take delivery of ix35 Fuel Cell cars in October 2014, with further customer deliveries imminent. With no harmful tailpipe emissions, ix35 Fuel Cell can travel more than 350 miles in real-world driving conditions before refuelling, which is a quick and easy process similar to refuelling a petrol or diesel vehicle.

Promoting the adoption of Fuel Cell vehicles in the UK, Hyundai is part of a number of collaborative projects. These include London’s Hydrogen Network Expansion (LHNE), a project backed by Innovate, and Hydrogen For Innovative Vehicles (HyFIVE). Hyundai is also a supplier to HyTEC, which alongside HyFIVE is funded by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). In addition, Hyundai Motor UK is a participant in the UKH2 Mobility project that has played a key part in advising government.