Teesside University and Durham University have joined forces with Cleveland Police and Simon Bailes Peugeot
Police forces face challenges with electric vehicles (EVs), such as long charging times, limited driving range, and reduced performance in extreme weather. Hydrogen-powered cars could offer a solution, with faster refuelling, longer driving distances, and better performance in a variety of conditions, which are essential for effective policing.
This project will help police forces compare hydrogen cars to electric and traditional petrol or diesel vehicles in terms of performance, cost, and environmental impact. The team will collect data from the police fleet and create models to simulate real-world scenarios. This will allow them to evaluate whether hydrogen cars are a practical and economical choice for police work.
The findings from this research could lead to the wider adoption of hydrogen cars by police forces, helping them to reduce their carbon footprint without compromising their operational effectiveness. The study will also provide insights that could guide future policies on sustainable policing.
*The Net Zero project is receiving up to £8.85m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.