This hydrogen bus is actually a hydrogen electric bus. The difference with a battery electric bus is that the hydrogen electric bus does not have a large battery pack, but generates electricity on board by means of a hydrogen fuel cell.
These hydrogen buses are used in the regular timetable, where a hydrogen electric bus has the advantage that it usually has a greater range than a battery electric bus.
The deployment proves successful and has therefore also opened the door for further expansion: from December 2020 on, some twenty hydrogen buses will be operational from the parking facility at Peizerweg in Groningen. Shell is going to build a hydrogen refuelling station on the site of this parking facility, which again concerns green hydrogen.
Sustainability long distance
We are also fully committed to making the long-distance buses, the Qliners, more sustainable. Currently (and as it seems also in the near future) these buses can only be purchased with an internal combustion engine. Due to the high mileage they drive every day (600 – 1000 km), we see an opportunity for hydrogen for these buses. In short, there is a lot of development in the field of hydrogen buses
At the moment there is also an application for the delivery of 100 km/h hydrogen-powered coaches ex-works. For this we’re applying for a subsidy with a number of partners in Europe. If assigned, implementation will take place in Groningen-Drenthe in 2024/2025.
