First Hydrogen Corp. has appointed Steve Gill as director of First Hydrogen Limited and as Chief Executive Officer of its automotive division.
Steve has extensive experience as an executive, board director and consultant in the automotive industry, specialising in powertrain technology and transport decarbonisation. His appointment will further establish First Hydrogen as a leading designer and manufacturer of zero-emission, long-range hydrogen-powered utility vehicles and strengthen the business’ team in the UK.
He will oversee the development of First Hydrogen’s light and medium commercial vehicle (LCV) business and is currently developing and constructing the Company’s two MAN hydrogen fuel cell road legal demonstrators with AVL Powertrain UK and Ballard Power Systems. Steve will also manage the development and build out of hydrogen refuelling stations, under the organisation’s NETZEROH2 subsidiary, with consultants FEV Group.
Steve was previously Director, Power Engineering at Ford of Europe, where he led a team of 2,000 engineers throughout the UK, Germany and Turkey; and sat as a board member of Ford Technologies Ltd. He spent 19 years with Ford Motor Company, leading strategic programmes delivering innovative technology into volume production for Ford and its partners, including Jaguar Land-Rover and the PSA Groupe (Peugeot/Citroen). These technologies included Ford’s first Series Hybrid Powertrain for commercial vehicles, Ford’s first mild hybrid technology for passenger cars and commercial vehicles and the multi award-winning three-cylinder Ecoboost engine.
Since 2019, Steve has worked as an automotive consultant with leading businesses including a Consultant Director to AVL Powertrain, the world’s largest independent powertrain engineering consultancy, the UK Automotive Council and Britishvolt.
Balraj Mann, Chairman and Chief Executive at First Hydrogen Corp., comments: “We are delighted to announce that we have appointed Steve Gill as CEO of First Hydrogen Automotive. Steve brings a wealth of experience in the powertrain business for Ford Motor Company, which will prove invaluable for the development and manufacture of our light and medium commercial vehicles. His connections and understanding of this sector will drive business growth and support fleet and logistics customers to invest in reliable, zero-emissions vehicles with a fully supportive infrastructure.”
Steve Gill, Director and CEO of First Hydrogen UK, says: “It’s an exciting time to join First Hydrogen especially as hydrogen-power is rapidly garnering support from private sector and governments alike. Achieving zero emissions targets has never been higher on corporate agendas and, for the operators of utility vehicles, hydrogen fuel offers a viable alternative to electric vehicles, which are currently unable to provide the range and refuelling speeds this market demands. It’s a privilege to work alongside world-renowned experts and lead the company’s development of our first vehicles and their roll out in the near future.”
