The use of hydrogen as an environmentally friendly fuel for automotive applications has been held back until now by the difficulties involved in establishing a viable distribution infrastructure. And, in the current scenario, it will be many years before we see a real change. Very different opportunities, however, may become available in the agricultural sector.

This is not science fiction, but a real proposal by New Holland, which recently presented the NH2 running prototype for a hydrogen powered tractor and the “Energy Independent Farm” project – both of which could be realities within three to five years time!

“The study for the hydrogen tractor,” explains Peter Jansen, style director for Fiat Professional & Industrial Vehicles, “began in summer 2008. The work by the Centro Stile was conducted by a team headed by Guido Bianco, in collaboration with the Fiat Research Centre. We based the project on the T6000 model and, in September, the first styling model was ready. The running version was built in October and, between December last year and February this year, we reached the definitive configuration, which is now undergoing a series of tests.”

The article continues in Auto & Design no. 178

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