Johnson Matthey opens hydrogen combustion engine facility in Sweden
Johnson Matthey (JM) has officially opened its first hydrogen internal combustion engine (H₂ICE) facility, where emission control systems will be tested. JM adds it has developed the new centre to strengthen its world-class heavy-duty vehicle testing capabilities.
H₂ICE uses zero carbon hydrogen fuel in tried-and-tested engine technology, presenting a viable path for decarbonising medium and heavy-duty transport, such as trucks and buses.
Announced back in July, the new testing area forms part of JM’s existing site in Gothenburg, Sweden. The facility has been completed on time and on budget, representing a £2.5 million investment over three years.
The investment has further expanded JM’s H₂ICE testing capability, allowing it to test full engines for the first time. This supports the continued evolution of the global market and regulatory environment, while addressing the desire of JM’s extensive customer base in the transport sector to seek cleaner mobility solutions.
The new Gothenburg installation supports H₂ICE engines up to 600kW (800hp). It will test the performance of catalysts within the wider engine after-treatment and control systems, providing key insights into the development of hydrogen mobility solutions. Gothenburg is already home to medium and heavy-duty diesel engine test cells.
The H₂ICE investment follows on from JM’s collaboration with Cummins, and technology partners PHINIA and Zircotec, who launched Project Brunel in November 2021. This partnership was successfully concluded in March 2025, delivering proof points towards significant improvements in H₂ICE engine performance and durability.
Johnson Matthey is a founding member of the Global Hydrogen Mobility Alliance, a coalition of more than 30 major companies across the automotive, energy and technology sectors, aiming to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen solutions in Europe’s transport sector.
The alliance – which includes companies such as BMW, Toyota, Hyundai, Air Liquide, and Linde – is urging EU policymakers to prioritise hydrogen mobility as a key component of their decarbonisation and industrial strategies.
