The 15-strong hydrogen fuel cell-electric Wrightbus StreetDeck FCEV fleet with First Aberdeen fleet has completed 100,000 miles of operation since the first examples entered service in January.
First says that has saved 170,000kg of CO2 emissions, with the buses powered by hydrogen that is produced using renewable electricity. Such a saving equates to removing 42 cars from the road for a full year.
Aberdeen City Council (ACC) is among the parties funding the hydrogen bus project. Says ACC Co-Leader Cllr Douglas Lumsden: “Transforming the city’s carbon footprint on a large scale is no easy feat, but we are committed to making continuous progress and we are proud to be leading the way in the transport industry with First Aberdeen to bring our joint vision of low emission public transport to life.”
In March, it was announced that ACC has been awarded funding of £4.5m towards a further 10 hydrogen fuel cell-electric double-deckers for the city’s fleet. That money will come from the Scottish Government’s Energy Transition Fund.
Adds Wrightbus Group Director Ian Gillott: “To reach 100,000 miles is a significant milestone. It is a credit to ACC and to First Bus that they have embraced this new technology so readily, putting Aberdeen firmly and historically on the zero emissions map.”
To support the StreetDeck FCEV fleet, Wrightbus has installed a team of hydrogen specialists ‘on the ground’ in Aberdeen, as well as an escalation team and a technical back-up team on 24hr call. First Aberdeen reports that the StreetDeck FCEVs’ smooth and quiet ambience has been well received by customers.
