Irizar remains resolutely tight-lipped on the hydrogen fuel cell-electric i6S Efficient Hydrogen coach that the Spanish manufacturer has confirmed will make its global debut at Busworld Brussels later this year.
The OEM says that the hydrogen coach forms part of its “future business strategy and technology roadmap, which includes the Irizar Efficient range of multi-technology vehicles.”
No further details have been given. But Irizar Group’s 2021 sustainability report states that as of its publication, hydrogen fuel cell-electric coach work was to include a minimum range of 500km, a refuelling time of no more than 10 minutes, and a position where any weight increase does not compromise passenger or luggage capacity. It is not known whether those specifications form part of the forthcoming model.
The sustainability report also notes that hydrogen power is expected to be prominent among Irizar’s long-distance vehicles, and that urban use cases will likely be captured by battery-electric technology.
Documents online show that Irizar and associated companies Irizar E-Mobility and Jema Energy each received grant funding from the Hazitek scheme’s 2021 programme towards a CoacH2 project. Hazitek supports business R&D work. It is financed by the Basque Government and the European Union.
A note on the Irizar E-Mobility website acknowledges that the business is part of CoacH2. It adds that such work aims “to lead the long-distance zero-emission coach market, carrying out different research tasks that will determine the propulsion, storage and vehicle structure solutions. This will enable the business group to manufacture a new long-distance coach with hydrogen fuel cell propulsion.”
Irizar Group’s annual report for 2020 notes that the company at that time had “started several hydrogen-powered mobility projects,” and that its technology roadmap “includes the development of medium- and long-distance hydrogen-powered coaches that will gradually be extended to the rest of Irizar Group’s range of vehicles (buses and trucks for urban uses).”
Adds the 2021 sustainability report: “This coach manufacturing strategy does not prevent us from working closely with chassis manufacturers, with whom we have common interests.” The i6S Efficient debuted in diesel form in 2022. It majors on energy efficiency, helped by a weight and drag reduction exercise.
