Video: FCEV bus unveiled

New Zealand’s first hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) bus has been unveiled by Auckland Transport (AT) as the organisation transitions to an emissions-free fleet.

Transport minister Michael Wood and Auckland mayor Phil Goff did the honours at Ports of Auckland (POAL) where the bus will be refuelled with green hydrogen.

In response to POAL’s invitation to participate in the Hydrogen Demonstration Project, AT commissioned the production of the hydrogen fuel cell bus at a cost of $1.175 million.

The three-axle bus, which is AT’s biggest single deck bus, will be used to trial operational performance and see how operating costs compare to diesel and electric buses of similar configurations.

It fits 43 seated adults and 31 standing.

The bus was built by Global Bus Ventures in Christchurch and will be operated with Howick and Eastern Buses by Transdev for an initial two-year trial on route 70 from Botany to Britomart via Panmure.

“This is a significant milestone in the journey to decarbonise Auckland’s public transport fleet and it will be on the road in the coming days,” Wood says.

Goff says decarbonisation of the Auckland’s public transport fleet is an important demonstration of Auckland Council taking the lead in reducing the city’s carbon emissions.

“In Auckland, transport makes up 40% of the city’s overall carbon emissions,” he explains.

“While our focus has been on electrification of vehicles and buses, it is important that we also explore the option of replacing diesel buses with hydrogen-powered vehicles. These produce zero-emissions and could complement our electric bus fleet.”

The Auckland Council has committed to no further purchase of diesel buses from this year, Goff says.

AT chief executive Shane Ellison says it is committed to doing its part by accelerating the Low Emission Bus Roadmap targeting 2030 – for all buses to be zero-emissions at tail pipe.

AT’s involvement in purchasing the hydrogen bus is to prove to the market that hydrogen buses can be developed to meet New Zealand’s unique operational and design requirements, and to help in the development of hydrogen as a fuel, AT Metro decarbonisation manager Darek Koper says.

 “This exciting unveiling of the hydrogen fuel cell bus follows our January launch of our fully electric bus fleet, the AirportLink. We also launched Waiheke’s electric bus fleet at the end of 2020.”

Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson says the bus will be refuelled with green hydrogen delivered to its temporary refuelling station.

“Refuelling in the future will be done next to a new electrolyser plant – producing green hydrogen here on site.”

Howick and Eastern Buses by Transdev general manager Sheryll Otway says the bus company is excited to partner with AT again, following the launch of Auckland’s first electric three-axle ‘extra-large’ bus in October 2020.

“In the early 1900s we launched the first motorised bus to complement our horse drawn carriages and now many years later, in partnership with Auckland Transport, we are again changing the way our passengers travel today and in the future. This is history in the making.”

The estimated cost of the full transition to zero-emission (including EV and hydrogen) is expected to be between $150 million to $200 million.