Manufacturer Wrightbus will supply up to 60 Kite Hydroliner single deck hydrogen-fueled buses to German Bus operator Regionalverkehr Köln over the next 2 years.
The buses will be the built at the Ballymena factory of Wrightbus. These will be the first integral left-hand drive vehicles by Wrightbus.
It will be capable of running 650 miles on a single charge and carry up to 90 passengers. The initial delivery will be in 2023 and the rest will be due in 2024.
“We have currently received federal funding to expand our hydrogen bus fleet by 2025, RVK Managing Director, Dr. Marcel Frank said. “The combination of the most economical offer with a robust service concept is the reason why we placed the order with Wrightbus.”
RVK already has built up a sizable hydrogen fleet. Some commercial fleet owners and managers believe that hydrogen is a better resource for heavy-duty vehicles compared to electric vehicles. They do not take as long to recharge.
Hydrogen also does not burn carbon emissions. To create hydrogen, however, it must be through a carbon-intensive process such as steam reformation of methane or lower carbon through electrolysis.
Wrightbus unveiled its latest model of the Kite Hydroliner last fall. Ballard Power Systems is the fuel cell modules provider also for the single deck fuel cell bus model. Hydrogen tanks have room for up to 50 kilograms of hydrogen.
