JCB's groundbreaking hydrogen-fuelled engine is set to make its public debut at a UK agricultural event at the Royal Highland Show, running from Thursday, 19 June, to Sunday, 22 June, at Ingliston.

The innovative engine will be a central exhibit within the Royal Highland and Agricultural Show Society’s Presidential Solutions Hub, a dedicated space highlighting cutting-edge developments aimed at achieving Net Zero climate targets.

A dedicated team of 150 engineers has spent nearly four years working on the £100 million JCB hydrogen engine project. The result is a power unit that boasts performance characteristics equivalent to the company’s DieselMAX engine, widely used in JCB's renowned backhoe loaders, Loadall telehandlers, and other JCB equipment.

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Since the initial prototype, 130 evaluation units have been assembled for extensive testing. A number of these engines, along with the refuelling solutions developed by JCB, are currently undergoing real-world testing in on-site situations with several plant hire companies, yielding "very positive results."

This year has also seen significant legislative hurdles cleared for the hydrogen engine. In January, JCB confirmed that various vehicle licensing authorities across Europe had certified the hydrogen-fuelled engine for sale, with further approvals expected. April saw the UK government pave the way for changes in road vehicle regulations, permitting hydrogen-fuelled agricultural and construction machinery to use public highways. Most recently, in May, the engine received full EU type-approval, enabling its use in JCB and other OEM off-highway machinery as it complies with EU Stage V emissions rules.

George Lyon, President of the Royal Highland Society, welcomed JCB's participation: "Over the past year, the RHASS Presidency has been promoting new, innovative solutions that farmers can use to meet the challenge of Net Zero. We are delighted that JCB are contributing to the Solutions Hub at the show with their new hydrogen engine, which represents an opportunity to switch to a 'green' fuel while retaining familiar combustion engine technology."