CaetanoBus and Temsa have formally agreed to jointly develop a hydrogen fuel cell-electric coach platform that the two OEMs say will have a range of up to 1,000km. The first such model to launch will be based on the Temsa HD12, with a prototype in 2024 and production from 2025. A three-axle coach is to follow “immediately after.”
The coaches will be refuelled at 350 or 700 bar. CaetanoBus led European sales of hydrogen fuel cell-electric buses in H1 2023, with its use of mature Toyota fuel cell technology credited for that position.
“These zero-emission coaches are designed to cater to the specific demands of long-distance journeys and tourism, with innovative solutions that directly address the market’s needs for zero-emission collective transport over extended routes,” the two OEMs say in a statement.
CaetanoBus’s “deep-rooted knowledge in the hydrogen sector and its familiarity with tourism requirements make it an ideal partner in this remarkable venture,” adds Temsa. A CaetanoBus H2.City Gold hydrogen fuel cell-electric bus demonstrator has been present in the UK since 2020 and the Portuguese manufacturer has sold the model in various European territories.
Temsa already has a presence in battery-electric, and it notes that the work with CaetanoBus will deliver a hydrogen fuel cell-electric coach with “high standards of quality and comfort while achieving extended autonomy levels, as is required in this segment.”
Demand for a long range in the coach sector leaves hydrogen power as “a must” for zero-emission there, the manufacturers add. A graphic suggests that the hydrogen tanks will be roof-mounted on the collaborative products.
