The Go-Ahead Group has agreed a 15-year hydrogen supply deal with Air Products to power a fleet of fuel cell buses.
On 5 January, it outlined how the buses – to be deployed in the Gatwick Airport, Crawley and Horley area – will become the first hydrogen powered vehicles in its fleet. The single-decker GB Kite Hydroliner buses have been manufactured by Wrightbus and will be delivered in June 2022, with the potential for a further order of 34 buses in future, bringing the fleet’s size to 54. This would make it the largest local fleet of hydrogen buses deployed in Europe to date.
Go-Ahead noted the intention is for the hydrogen to power the buses to at least meet, or exceed, the UK government’s standards on sustainable fuel for public transport. The hydrogen will be stored at the Metrobus Crawley depot in liquid form, before it is then converted to gas held in tanks on the roof of the vehicles.
Go-Ahead already has a fleet of close to 300 electric buses, with its first foray into hydrogen supporting its aim of transitioning to a UK-wide zero emission bus fleet by 2035.
