Vauxhall Movano Hydrogen arriving in 2025 from £66,450

The jury is still out on the practicality of hydrogen powertrains in the commercial van world. But one thing’s for sure: the zero-emissions tech is going to get the chance to prove itself, and the Vauxhall Movano Hydrogen looks set to lead the way.

To the untrained eye, this may look like a simple diesel Movano, or perhaps even the electric variant. The familiar, functional design of the largest van in Vauxhall’s LCV range remains unchanged. However, peer a little closer and the subtle ‘hydrogen’ rear badging distinguishes it as a something a little bit special: Vauxhall’s latest sustainable large van alternative.

Okay, we’ll admit there is also currently a very hydrogen themed paint job, which is a bit of a giveaway. However, once this reaches the market next year — with Vauxhall opening the order books in spring 2025 — the prototype branding will fall away, the real differentiator will lie beneath the big van’s floor.

A glimpse into the future?

This is where the quartet of 7 kg hydrogen tanks are neatly packaged, so as not to impinge on the Movano’s 17m³ cargo capacity or 1.37-tonne payload, laying a solid base of practicality. 

Combine this with the 110 kw electric motor and you not only get 410 Nm of torque, but a range of 311 miles. That’s 62 miles further than the Vivaro Hydrogen which was recently trialled on UK roads as part of Vauxhall’s overarching zero-emissions masterplan, and 50 miles further than the electric Movano. Handy, but that’s not where the real magic lies. 

The headline-grabber which truly showcases the Movano Hydrogen’s potential is the refuelling capability: rather than waiting for 55 minutes to reach 80% charge as you would with its electric equivalent, here a full tank requires a mere five minutes. Far more palatable from a downtime point of view. That is, of course, if you can find a suitable facility. 

A welcome non-surprise

Vauxhall’s latest announcement contained the not-so-surprising confirmation that, like the rest of the Movano range, the hydrogen variant will be available exclusively in the ‘Prime’ trim. 

Expected, but not a bad thing, as this includes: a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen with built in TomTom satellite navigation system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice control, two USB connections, and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. 

On top of that there are numerous inclusions to keep things practical for a commercial setting. There’re rear parking sensors, automatic air-con, specialist part-heated door mirrors for improved visibility, and most importantly, not one, but two cup holders on the dash. Just to prove we’re operating in the real world here.

The price of progress

Now, there has been plenty of rumbling around hydrogen tech’s introduction to the UK scene, but one thing which has notably evident so far is a hard confirmation of the cost for a large LCV. 

That changes now. Setting a benchmark for the much-hyped upcoming Renault Master H2-Tech, the Movano Hydrogen will be priced from at £66,450 (excluding VAT but including the Plug-in Van Grant) for the L3 H2 Panel Van, while the L4 H3 Panel Van will set you back at least £68,070.

Considering the diesel Movano starts at £32,285, whilst the electric can be picked up from £46,135, this does represent a fair chunk of extra change on the top. So the question then becomes, if the latest Movano does prove to be practical upon its 2025 release, will it be commercially affordable?

Hero image credit: Stellantis