Deal sees fuel cell electric buses for London and Hamburg
European bus manufacturers and city representatives have announced the commercialisation of fuel cell electric buses for London and Hamburg.
Representatives from Daimler Buses (EvoBus), MAN, Solaris, Van Hool and VDL Bus & Coach signed a joint letter of understanding at the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking’s (FCH JU) Stakeholders Forum in Brussels. The document underlines the commitment of bus manufacturers towards the commercialisation and market introduction of fuel cell electric buses in urban public transport.
Receiving the letter, Kit Malthouse, deputy mayor of London for business and enterprise, stated: “I firmly believe that hydrogen fuel cell technology will eventually replace the internal combustion engine, and having a firm commitment from the bus industry to support an increase in hydrogen-powered vehicles on our streets is key. We want London to be at the forefront of the low emission revolution and getting these buses on the road is the first step towards a viable hydrogen future across the UK and the whole of Europe.”
Adding his thoughts, Olaf Scholz, first mayor of the City of Hamburg, said that the German city would only purchase emission-free buses from 2020. The bus manufacturers believe that the fuel cell buses offer the same degree of operational flexibility as conventional diesel buses in addition to the advantages of electric vehicles, including zero tailpipe emissions, significantly reduced noise and vibration levels and, therefore, higher passenger comfort.
The FCH JU’s commercialisation initiative aims at deploying a total volume up to 1,000 fuel cell buses in Europe by 2020. More than 30 European cities and regions have also expressed interest.
