Hydrogen ‘The Only Option’ For Metrobus Fastway ZE
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Route One.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Hydrogen fuel cell-electric remains the most realistic zero-emission technology for usage cases requiring very high mileage and utilisation capabilities. That is the verdict from the Go-Ahead Group after its Metrobus subsidiary launched 20 Wrightbus GB Kite Hydroliner single-deckers on 29 June.
This paragraph gives more details.
Go-Ahead Group Chair Claire Hollingsworth, who was present at the launch alongside Under-Secretary of State for Transport Richard Holden and other stakeholders and dignitaries, underlines the need for hydrogen on Fastway. “These are the most intensive routes in the Go-Ahead network,” she explains. “We need 300 miles of range and have little time to plug in.”
Let’s face it, a bus that takes a lot of time to fuel-up can’t be as efficient, as one that takes just a few minutes. Especially, if the buses are running a large number of hours per day.
The whole article is a must read and surely Go-Ahead’s conclusion to other modes of transport, that do long distances, like heavy trucks, long-distance coaches and railway locomotives.
The Anonymous Widower 
Despite the inefficiency in creating hydrogen from electricity the need for a zero emission high energy storage is always going to mead back to hydrogen. The UK has missed the boat on batteries but could still use its ice expertise to find a niche in hydrogen powered combustion engines.
Comment by Nicholas Lewis | July 17, 2023 |
From today’s Londonreconnections Monday Friday reads
https://www.rechargenews.com/energy-transition/french-city-drops-order-for-51-hydrogen-buses-after-realising-electric-ones-six-times-cheaper-to-run/2-1-1143717
I accept that some exceptional cases the need for some vehicles that carry a liquid fuel (but: in motion charging from catenary/trolley lines/opportunistic charging at turnaround points with extra vehicles in fleet if needed–driver drops an empty one at the turnaround which charges and takes out a charged one)
Comment by MilesT | July 17, 2023 |
I’m fairly certain, that the efficiency of creating hydrogen will improve. Watch HiiROC! I have experience of a similar process that failed in the 1960s.
The government is certainly backing Cummins and Ricardo in a very sensible way and the first project is a medium-sized hydrogen ICE to replace the diesel engine in vehicles like Dodge RAM pick-ups, New Routemaster buses, ADL buses, US school buses and medium-sized trucks.
Comment by AnonW | July 17, 2023 |
“A bus that takes a lot of time to fuel-up can’t be as efficient…” If the bus can perform a full days work on one charge, I suspect Go-Ahead would have no objection to batteries. If this is not possible, then I equally suspect that Go-Ahead prefers Hydrogen because it will only have to pay for one fueling station per area rather than electric charging stations at each terminus. I expect that Go-Ahead will assume that the government will not be that willing to pay for the chargers at each terminus. Large trucks are only allowed to travel a certain time between driver stops, so charging or fueling is not really an issue as long as services provide the capabilities. I think for trains, it is already clear that batteries are only really an option where existing infrastructure can provide charge on the go for part of the journey or the layover time is significant wrt journey time (Greenford Branch). This leaves small vehicles, where lack of regulation of drivers (private or commercial) hours allows continuous use where range is important.
We are still in a dynamic phase of the transition from fossil based fuels to renewable derived electrons. It is no surprise that there is no real consensus on the way forward.
Comment by Adrian | July 17, 2023 |
About six months ago, I had a drink with three managers of London bus companies. They had never run any hydrogen buses, although one new the route across Birmingham, that is now run by hydrogen buses well.
But they knew the problems around charging electric buses well, as some London garages don’t have a big enough electricity connection, which means getting all buses charged overnight can be difficult.
So I showed them the Wrightbus figures for their similar hydrogen and electric double-deck buses, from their web site..
An Electroliner goes 200 miles on a 2.5 hour charge.
A Hydroliner goes 280 miles after an 8 minute fill.
As London’s longest bus route; the X26, is 24.3 miles, so with an electric bus that is 8 trips before a 2.5 hour charge is needed. Currently, it is run by diesel buses.
All my drinking companions, thought that hydrogen buses, were a viable alternative to diesel.
Comment by AnonW | July 17, 2023 |
Another view
Note the comparison chart photo (from Translink) buried in the article.
It is an interesting balance, whether it would be better to spend more CapEx (and embedded carbon) on additional vehicles/operational complexity to make up for lack of range of EV and longer charge time (albeit with superior overall energy efficiency) vs. Hydrogen (which does need some safety modifications to bus garage buildings, currently more costly, and less energy efficiency). The specific routes do seem to be an edge case of relatively long fast continuous running (which really should be a tram or light rail or well coordinated and price multimodal trip)
Comment by MilesT | July 18, 2023 |