United Kingdom (UK) Automotive Fuel Cell Market Overview 2027

The UK is the largest country with a population of 66.79 million. In the UK, the expanding automobile companies are driving the automotive fuel cell market. The market is expected to grow in the future as a result of new government initiatives and policies implemented with the view to enhancing electric vehicle usage and the manufacturer’s interest in the country. A fuel cell is used to produce the electrical current required to power various gadgets by converting chemical energy into electrical energy. The basic parts of a fuel cell are the anode, the cathode, and an electrolyte. The anode separates hydrogen into ions and electrons; the cathode forms oxygen ions that combine with hydrogen ions to form water; and the electrode is a conductor that passes hydrogen ions to the cathode. In the UK, AFC Energy PLC and Ceres Power Holdings PLC are two players who make fuel cells and supply them to different automakers.

According to the report titled UK Automotive Fuel Cell Market Overview, 2027, the automotive fuel cell market in the UK is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 55% during the forecast period. Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) are a sustainable means of generating power through electrochemical conversion of hydrogen-containing fuels, as a result of which it leads the segment. Hydrogen fuel cells have no emissions other than water vapour. Hydrogen is abundant and can be made from renewable energy. Above 200 KW is beneficial for heavy-duty vehicles which require more power during working conditions.

Phosphoric acid fuel cells use an electrolyte composed of concentrated phosphoric acid (H3PO4) dispersed in a silicon carbide matrix. It operates at 150 to 200 degrees centigrade. Alkaline fuel cells use hydrogen and pure oxygen to generate potable water, heat, and electricity, and they are less sensitive to fuel impurities. 2016 to 2021, the market size of PEMFC was high compared to the other two, and it is expected it will grow rapidly during the forecasted period.

The major drivers of the market are energy efficiency; reliability compared to internal combustion engines, and improved heat recovery systems. Constraints to the automotive fuel cell market are implementation and maintenance costs, durability and reliability, and system size. Because of new technological innovations and increased automotive adoption, the future market is opportunistic. Government launches a plan for a world-leading hydrogen economy for a green industrial revolution to meet its ambition of 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030. A consultation was also launched to look at ways to overcome the cost gap between low carbon hydrogen and fossil fuels.

An Methanol fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device which converts methanol fuel into electrical energy directly. It operates at low temperatures and pressures and also provides high power density. Hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity by combining atoms of oxygen and hydrogen. These are the preferred choices because of faster refuelling and higher density. Reactions between hydrogen and oxygen take place across an electrochemical cell similar to that of a battery to produce electricity, water, and small amounts of heat.

Below 100 KW power, fuel cells are suitable for small and light-weight vehicles and provide power for a particular period of time. Fuel cells with a 100 KW to 200 KW output are suitable for vehicles that require a medium range of power during working conditions. Above 200 KW power fuel cells are used in commercial vehicles and heavy vehicles like mining vehicles and provide effective power to the engine. The market attractiveness of below 100 KW power fuel cells was higher in the past year due to its efficient and effective power providing capacity to small cars, and it is expected that the market attractiveness of 100 KW to 200W power fuel cells will be rapidly growing by 2027.

As part of global efforts to decarbonize the industry, AFC Energy is a leading provider of alkaline fuel cell systems for the generation of clean energy in the UK, offering best-in-class performance and the lowest operating cost. The company is committed to helping current and future customers achieve a net zero carbon future through the continued development and improvement of its product base, centred on its core alkaline fuel cell technology.

The spread of COVID-19 has affected all countries across the globe. The COVID-19 virus has had a negative impact on the automotive fuel-cell vehicle market. Lockdowns initiated by governments in the UK have resulted in an economic crisis, which has pushed the automotive industry to a near-collapse condition, shutting down factories and emptying showrooms. The automotive sector is one of the sectors most affected by the outbreak of the pandemic.

Considered in this report

• Geography: UK
• Base year: 2021
• Estimated year: 2022
• Forecast year: 2027

Aspects covered in this report

• UK Automotive Fuel Cell market and its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Five force models
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

Fuel cell by Electrolyte type

• Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)
• Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC)
• Others (Alkaline fuel cell and Phosphoric acid fuel cell)

Fuel cell by Fuel type

• Hydrogen fuel
• Methanol fuel

Fuel cell by Power output

• Below 100 KW
• 100 to 200 KW
• Above 200 KW

The approach of the report:

This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analysing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to automotive fuel cell industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.