Fuel Cell Electric Buses Update
Connor Dolan
by Mark Luth
Our recent blog posts have provided updates on the fuel cell heavy-duty hauling and medium-duty municipal and off-road vehicles that are being deployed around the world. Fuel cells and the supporting hydrogen infrastructure are making a mark in heavy-duty public transportation as well with commuter buses operating commercially worldwide and in trials for further expansion. With fast, centralized fueling infrastructure, zero operating emissions, and long range, fuel cell electric buses make sense for mass transit districts looking to decarbonize operations while maintaining efficient service.
New Fuel Cell Buses in Illinois
In October 2021, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District In Illinois joined the group of transportation agencies running more than 60 commercial fuel cell electric buses in the United States. The company is operating two 60-foot buses powered by solar-generated hydrogen in normal operations that serve the Champaign area and the University of Illinois campus. FCHEA member Ballard Power Systems provided the fuel cell modules to power the new buses, while fellow FCHEA members PDC Machines and Nel Hydrogen provided the hydrogen fueling station and electrolyzer, respectively.
The new fuel cell electric bus and hydrogen refueling station in Champaign. (Source: PDC Machines)
Second Hydrogen Olympics
In an earlier blog post, we covered how the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan highlighted hydrogen and fuel cell technology as methods of decarbonizing the Olympic Games. The upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in China are set to continue the celebration of fuel cells. FCHEA member Cummins has been powering 74 transit buses in the city of Zhangjiakou, host of skiing and snowboarding events for the Olympics. The buses began testing operation in 2018 and are ready for full operation during the Games, having already carried three million passengers cumulatively. In addition to long range and zero emissions, the fuel cell modules start up normally at temperatures as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit, a prerequisite for winter operations at elevations such as Zhangjiakou’s roughly 2,300 feet above sea level.
Bus Deployments Across Asia
Fuel cell electric buses are also being introduced in South Korea, where FCHEA member Hyundai partnered with South Korea’s defense ministry to provide 10 vehicles by the end of 2021. The buses will serve as a pilot project in the city of Daejeon, focused on decarbonizing a military training center in the city. Ballard Power Systems, in July 2021 announced it is working with Tata Motors, a major Indian bus manufacturer, to deliver 15 fuel cell electric buses for use in pilot operations in India. The companies will use the vehicles to study the potential for further fuel cell technology, with the buses running in Faridabad, the largest city in India’s National Capital Region.
Hyundai’s fuel cell electric bus at a refueling station. (Source: Yonhap News Agency)
Expanding Operations in Europe
European cities are also seeing an expansion in fuel cell electric buses entering operation. In November 2021, Ballard Power Systems announced that it had received orders to power 40 buses across the continent that will deploy in 2022. Brighton, England, will see 20 buses deployed over the year, initiating the first phase of the city’s zero emissions plan. Frankfurt, Germany, and Rouen, France, will also see commercial bus deployments, after which Ballard will be powering more than 200 fuel cell electric buses across Europe.
Expanding Partnerships Worldwide
The benefits of hydrogen fuel cell buses shown around the world has encouraged more companies to develop their own models. FCHEA member Toyota already deploys the Sora fuel cell bus in Japan, but in July 2021, the company announced a co-branding partnership with Portuguese bus manufacturer CaetanoBus. The two companies developed a new fuel cell bus model, the H2.City Gold, which underwent trials in 2020 and commercial deployments in Barcelona, Spain, and Bielefeld, Germany, in 2021. Plug Power, another FCHEA member, entered the fuel cell bus sector in April 2021, announcing a partnership with BAE Systems, a clean propulsion system integrator, to jointly develop fuel cell module systems that can be provided to bus manufacturers for integration.
The H2.City Gold fuel cell electric bus. (Source: Toyota)
Driving Hydrogen Public Transit
Hydrogen fuel cell electric buses are showing their versatility and strength in challenging conditions around the world. More companies, many of them FCHEA members, are joining the growing sector, demonstrating the ability to provide reliable transportation with reduced emissions.