Wrightbus has unveiled a 300kW driveline demonstrator hydrogen fuel cell-electric coach, able to cover about 620 miles on one refuelling.
The vehicle, displayed at the recent Cenex Expo show, has its driveline fitted to a GB Kite Hydroliner hydrogen fuel cell-electric single-decker bus, to allow the creation of a coach-specific configuration.
Coaches are expected to go further for longer and carry much higher payloads than buses and Wrightbus has worked heavily on creating a new driveline for the vehicle
This coach work is part-funded by an Advanced Propulsion Centre grant awarded to Wrightbus as part of a scheme supporting ‘fast start’ projects.
Queens University Belfast and hydrogen mobility specialist Symbio are also involved in the project.
The development stage for work on the hydrogen coach should finish in 2025 with a vehicle expected on the road in 2026.
Jean-Marc Gales, Wrightbus CEO said the vehicle will be a “significant step forward in the road to decarbonising the public transport industry.”
He added: “For years Wrightbus has led the way in transport innovation, producing the world’s first hydrogen-powered bus and an award-winning battery-electric version, now both sold all around the world,
“But there is no room for standing still; innovation has been at the core of our business since we were founded in 1946 and we continue to plough enormous amounts of time, money and effort into staying ahead of the curve.
“While buses have been in the Wrightbus DNA since day one we know that to have a real impact on public transport we must tackle the decarbonisation of coaches.”
