German public transport operator orders 46 H2 buses from Wrightbus
The first of the Kite Hydroliner hydrogen buses are to be delivered at the end of 2024. The 46 Kite Hydroliners are the first hydrogen buses for Cottbusverkehr, but not the first FC buses from the Northern Irish manufacturer in Germany: Regionalverkehr Köln ordered Kite Hydroliners from Wrightbus in 2022 and the operator WestVerkehr for the Heinsberg district in 2023. According to the Cottbus company, it opted for the manufacturer from Northern Ireland following a test at its own depot and in urban transport, as the bus “performed excellently even in the lowest temperatures”.
The model offers space for up to 90 passengers and uses axles from ZF. The fuel cell is an FCmove from Ballard with 70 kW. Depending on the version, the buffer battery has a capacity of 30 or 45 kWh. The number of cylindrical hydrogen tanks with 350 bar can vary between four and seven depending on the application.
Cottbusverkehr has already received the funding decisions for the hydrogen buses in 2022 – for around 3.1 million euros. In addition, the public transport operator and its project partner LEAG were able to secure the necessary funding from the Structural Reinforcement Act for the refueling infrastructure in the amount of around 7.5 million euros. The construction of the H2 filling station was awarded to the German company Moviatec in a Europe-wide tendering process. In addition to the filling station, an electrolyzer is also to be built by LEAG on the site next to the depot. This will produce 105 tons of hydrogen per year from regional green electricity.
“This is a big step in Lusatia towards climate-neutral local public transport,” says Ralf Thalmann, Managing Director of Cottbusverkehr. “We look forward to working with Wrightbus. With its offer, the company has shown its commitment and willingness to offer suitable solutions.”
“We are delighted to be working with the city of Cottbus on this incredibly important initiative. Hydrogen has a key role to play in moving away from fossil fuels to decarbonise energy and provide cleaner air for all,” said Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales. “This is especially true in public transport and we are proud that our buses will be on the streets providing and clean and comfortable service for the people of this region.”
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