Go-Ahead Group subsidiary Metrobus has launched it first 20 Wrightbus GB Kite Hydrolider hydrogen fuel cell-electric buses in the Crawley, Horley, and Gatwick Airport areas.
The fleet currently consists of 20 buses, with plans to add 34 more Wrightbus examples over the next 18 months. Once completed, it will become one of the largest hydrogen bus fleets in the UK, backed by over £4.3m in funding from the Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme. The buses will be fuelled by a liquid hydrogen refuelling station, believed to be the first of its kind for buses in Europe.
Metrobus unveiled the hydrogen fuel cell buses during a launch event on 29 June. The event was attended by Richard Holden, Minister for Roads and Local Transport, and various stakeholders from the region.
The GB Kite Hydroliners have been chosen for their ability to cover long distances and carry heavy loads, making them ideal for the local routes around Gatwick Airport. The hydrogen fuel will be stored in liquid form at the Metrobus Crawley depot before being converted to gas and stored in tanks on the roof of the vehicles.
The liquid hydrogen refuelling station, owned and operated by industrial gas company Air Products, will be located at the Metrobus Crawley depot. Once fully operational, it will be the largest liquid hydrogen refuelling station in Europe and will have the capacity to fuel over 100 buses per day.
Go-Ahead Group Chief Executive, Christian Schreyer, emphasised the role that hydrogen will play in decarbonising public transport. “These fantastic buses and the innovative refuelling depot demonstrate Go-Ahead’s commitment to investing in a net zero future for transport,” he says. “We’re already the leading operator of electric buses in Britain and we believe hydrogen is a further piece in the jigsaw of decarbonising public transport – to the benefit of the environment and local communities.”
Adds Manish Patel, Air Products Hydrogen for Mobility Director UK: “We are proud to be part of this exciting project, where we intend to deliver green hydrogen produced in Immingham from imported renewable energy sources such as the NEOM Green Hydrogen project, where there’s an abundance of sun and wind. The project is an excellent example of companies collaborating and pioneering in the energy transition space. Together, we are making the decarbonisation of public transport a reality; our liquid hydrogen-fed refuelling station will be able to reliably serve the depot’s full fleet.”
