Hydrogen bus from Daimler
Since 2010, the buses were in use in Hamburg.
(Photo: Daimler AG)
HamburgThe Hamburger Hochbahn is considered a pioneer among municipal transport companies – at least as far as the switch to emission-free buses is concerned. From 2020, it will only be possible to procure buses in the Hanseatic city that emit no exhaust fumes.
The transport operation of the Hanseatic city is thus a driver behind the alliance of 18 cities, including the capital Berlin, which jointly use new technologies for emission-free public transport.
In that sense, the decision has the four hydrogen buses from Daimler for sale, signal effect. The buses were in use since 2010. The elevated railway continue now on battery buses, There will be 30 deliveries in 2019 and another 30 a year later.
“Fuel cell technology is not yet ready for production. At the moment, the battery technology offers the solution, “said a Hochbahn spokesman Handelsblatt.
This turns out a technology in which the German carmaker have high hopes. Because hydrogen offers clear advantages: higher ranges and fast fueling. However, the buses are still not ready for production, the gas station infrastructure is not progressing.
Currently, therefore, the battery technology of choice, said the elevated railway spokesman. A decision for all eternity, however, was not. “That’s not a decision against hydrogen. We drive on sight, “he emphasized. “Hydrogen technology, even in combination with batteries, may continue to be an option for us in the future.” However, the project for an innovation line had expired. Between 2013 and 2018, several different technologies were tested in real time on the line along the Alster in cooperation with the manufacturers.
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The fleet only has two larger articulated buses, whose batteries are also powered by fuel cells. Unlike the pure hydrogen buses, these vehicles can be refueled at a depot. This combination of both techniques could be used at the first high-lift tender for exhaust-free larger articulated buses at the end of the year.
So far, it was only decided that trolleybuses should not be ordered, said the spokesman. Otherwise, all series-ready offers are conceivable. A DaimlerSpokeswoman said on request, production-ready buses with a hydrogen-battery combination are however only planned for 2022.
“The fuel cell drive is important to us,” she emphasized. The hydrogen project in Hamburg was from the beginning as a small series project time limited. However, important insights have flowed into the development of the battery buses with small fuel cell for range extension, which come in three years on the market and should have similar ranges as diesel buses. “Above all, the experience relates to operational operational readiness, such as range and consumption, passenger feedback on air-conditioning and ride comfort, or maintenance, service and refueling requirements.”
So far, the German manufacturers are still doing so hard to meet the demands of the transport companies, However, smaller buses are now available – also from Daimler, which also equips the elevated railway with battery buses.
Last November had Daimler the first serial model of his eCitaro bus delivered to Hamburg at all. At that time, the responsible Daimler manager Jörg Lamparter had praised the elevated railway as a “recognized pioneer for alternative drive systems in public transport”.
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With the interim Hochbahn decision against the hydrogen, an important customer for the hydrogen filling station in Hamburg’s HafenCity district of Hamburg is being dropped off. 2012 had the energy supplier Vattenfall inaugurated the architecturally striking gas station – for then seven hydrogen buses that drove for the elevated railway. Back then it was calculated that capacity would soon be increased to 20 buses.
In the meantime, the H2 Mobility company is running the former flagship project. A spokeswoman for H2 Mobility pointed out on request that the gas station had anyway only a limited lease until July 2023 with the HafenCity, who wanted to use the prominently located area then different. So far, the operation continues without restrictions.
H2 Mobility has a total of 60 gas stations in Germanyfour of them in Hamburg. There are currently one Row of hydrogen cars from Toyota for the taxi service Clever Shuttle on the road, where the German Railways is involved. In addition, private individuals use the petrol stations.