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Boris Johnson launches hydrogen-powered machines at Staffordshire-based JCB

Construction equipment giant JCB has announced it is investing £100 million in zero-emission hydrogen engines to power machinery.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveils a hydrogen powered JCB Loadall telescopic handler in central London, as the construction equipment firm announced it is investing £100 million on a project to produce super-efficient hydrogen engines

The Staffordshire-based company made the announcement as it unveiled a prototype hydrogen-powered backhoe loader and another machine – a telescopic handler – with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The firm, which has its based in Rocester, said it already has a team of 100 engineers working on the hydrogen engines.

And it is recruiting up to 50 more to deliver on its bid to make the first machines available to customers by the end of 2022.

JCB chairman Lord Bamford said the company is investing in hydrogen, because electric is not an all-round solution, particularly for its industry, as it can only be used to power smaller machines.

"Our sort of machinery will need to be powered by something other than fossil fuels," he said.

"We make machines which are powered by diesel so we have to find a solution and we are doing something about it now.

"It does mean we will carry on making engines, but they will be super-efficient, affordable, high-tech hydrogen motors with zero CO2 emissions, which can be brought to market quickly using our existing supply base."

Mr Johnson said: "Great British manufacturers like JCB are developing innovative solutions to slash greenhouse emissions and advance the UK's green industrial revolution.

"It was fantastic to see JCB's super-efficient hydrogen engines, which could overhaul UK manufacturing, help us to rapidly reach our climate targets and ramp up the UK's hydrogen economy - an exciting area that will be essential to tackling climate change, creating new jobs and attracting investment."

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