Renault Master Hydrogen: award winner gains 435-mile range

International Van of the Year, Best Large Van, Best Electric Van… the Renault Master is winning everything just now. With the H2-Tech Hydrogen Master causing a stir at the 2024 Paris Motor show, are there yet more awards inbound?

When the latest Renault Master was unveiled last year, it came with a promise: that a Hydrogen powertrain was on the horizon. This future was brought a little closer with the reveal of the Master H2-Tech Prototype at IAA Transportation in September, and a little closer again at the recent Paris Motor Show where we had the chance to take a look for ourselves.

As the hydrogen Master has drawn closer to reality, the current ICE and electric variants have been picking up a multitude of accolades including the coveted Van of the Year award — something Renault made very clear during their Paris showcase. And with the hydrogen-powered LCV boasting some impressive stats on paper, we’re wondering if it’s set to contribute to the French brand’s trophy cabinet in 2025.

Driving change forward

Of course, the star of the show lay beneath the Master’s floor: the hydrogen powertrain.

Packing either a trio of 7.5 kg hydrogen tanks, or 5 larger 9 kg units, alongside a 47 kw fuel cell and 20 kwh battery, the hydrogen Master can achieve a whopping 435-mile range. The electric Master’s hefty 285-mile range is thoroughly outdone here, but perhaps more impressively, so is the directly competing 311-mile range of Vauxhall’s hydrogen Movano.

And when it’s time to refuel, this can be done in just 5 minutes — an experience far more similar to filling up at a pump, than to charging up at a plug. Considering the electric Master peaks at a 1 hour and 10 minute full charge using a 130 kw plug — and takes well over four hours at most public chargers — the advantages here speak for themselves. We reckon the minimised downtime and removal of range anxiety could go a long way to quell concerns of fleet managers keen to move toward zero-emissions alternatives.

No trade-offs

So, what’s the catch? Surprisingly (to us anyway), it's not the Master’s cargo hauling capabilities.

The sleek packaging of the hydrogen components beneath the floor have been integrated right from the early phases of design, somewhat miraculously allowing Renault to preserve the Master’s load capacity and payload. As a panel van, you can expect volumes of over 14m³, and a utilitarian payload up to 1,625 kg — avoiding the type of hit which saw 400 kg shaved from the under-trial Vivaro Hydrogen’s payload.

The Master’s versatility hasn’t been eaten into either. The hydrogen version will be available in panel van, floor cab, and chassis cab form, allowing the customisabilty to suit various business needs. And who knows, maybe we’ll have to add a hydrogen option to our list of top campervan conversion bases in the future.

Entering the unknown

So, really, what’s the catch? Unfortunately, similar to EVs, hydrogen infrastructure still remains a big question mark.

HYVIA (a hydrogen mobility partnership between Renault and Plug) has been a key player in the creation of the Master H2-Tech Prototype. Like Vauxhall’s recent partnership with Ryze Hydrogen, the French joint venture is looking to boost hydrogen availability for fleets through the installation of business refueling stations. As of yet, it is unclear whether this will extend to the UK, but as Plug currently operate this side of the channel, there is certainly precedent.

However, on the general infrastructure side, the concerns highlighted by the forward-thinking Toyota Hilux Hydrogen remain. The number of hydrogen refueling stations in the UK has actually dwindled in recent years, falling from their not so lofty peak of around fifteen. Momentum around the zero-emissions tech does seem to be building while EV sales continue to stumble and miss targets, but as to whether hydrogen can take over and truly become the future? Only time will tell.

So, with impressive stats on paper, but no confirmation as to whether it can become a practical reality, do you think the hydrogen Renault Master can enter the game as another award winner?

Hero image credit: Blackcircles.com