Van Hool has won the biggest-ever order for hydrogen fuel cell buses in Europe, with 40 to be delivered to Germany in spring 2019.
The 12m two-axle buses are a development of those in use in Aberdeen with First and Stagecoach and in London.
Van Hool has so far delivered 53 hydrogen buses, for North America (21) and Europe (32).
The 40 hydrogen buses for Cologne (30) and Wuppertal (10) are hybrid vehicles (fuel cell and batteries) of the Van Hool A330 type with dual axles and a length of 12 metres.
They will be equipped with the latest FCvelocity-HD85 Fuel Cell module from Ballard Power Systems of Vancouver, Canada and fitted with a 210kW Siemens PEM electric traction motor. The bus is designed for 29 seats and 46 (Cologne) and 49 (Wuppertal) standing passengers, with space for two wheelchair users and a pram.
Thanks to the hybrid power source, the buses, with a tank capacity of 38.2kg of hydrogen on board, will be able to carry out a full day's schedule of 350km.
Together with the lithium batteries and electric motors, the fuel cells form the basis of the all-electric power source. Hydrogen is converted to electricity in the fuel cell, with water vapour as its only emission, while the batteries provide additional power wherever and whenever needed. Thanks to this hybrid power source and the re-use of braking energy, around 8 kg of hydrogen are consumed over a distance of 100 km.
The procurement of new vehicles fits into the framework of Germany's national innovation program for hydrogen and fuel cell technology (NIP), and is financed by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), financed by the “Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking” (FCH JU), the European public-private partnership is aimed at accelerating the market introduction of fuel cells and hydrogen technology, operating under the EU ‘Horizon 2020’ program.
