The hydrogen taxi will be part of a fleet of 5 cars which will replace some of the University's own fleet of vehicles so that engineering researchers can learn more about their efficiency and cost effectiveness.

New technologies such as this often face uncertainties at the commercialisation stage and they can also have a higher initial cost.  Until they become more competitive on cost, it is difficult to put these new technologies into production on a larger scale.  Professor Kevin Kendall, lead investigator from the Department of Chemical Engineering, is hoping to combat this problem and says, 'By comparing the hydrogen powered vehicles directly with the University's petrol and diesel fleet, we can find out how vehicles will need to be adapted in order to make hydrogen an attractive and cost effective option as a future fuel.

'Once we have gathered enough information about the viability of hydrogen powered cars, we will be working alongside Birmingham City Council to establish whether a hydrogen powered fleet would be practicable for their waste, transport and other  vehicles and how this transition could be managed.'

'In terms of the manufacture of these new vehicles we will also be looking at how we can develop a supply chain of companies and create jobs in the region as the hydrogen economy begins to take shape.'

As a direct result of this research, it is hoped that the public sector will start to buy into these new technologies, providing support to companies moving from the technology demonstration phase into the early stages of commercialisation.

This research is part of the Birmingham Science City initiative which has received funding of £6.3 million from Regional Development Agency Advantage West Midlands to develop the use of hydrogen energy as a green fuel.    The car will be appearing at the Science City summit this Thursday 15th and Friday 16th November.