Van Hool has
entered into a contract with Transport for London (TfL) in the UK for
the construction of two latest generation hydrogen buses. This new
contract falls within the scope of 3Emotion, a European consortium on
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses, in which Van Hool is acting as project
coordinator. The hydrogen bus, which converts hydrogen into electricity,
is currently one of the most environmentally friendly public transport
vehicles: it offers local zero emissions (absolutely no harmful
emissions or CO2) and significantly reduced noise levels.
The two hydrogen buses for London are
hybrid (fuel cell and battery powered) Van Hool A330 model 12-metre vehicles. They are equipped with the very latest FCvelocity-HD7
Fuel Cell module from Ballard Power Systems in Vancouver, Canada. The
bus has 35 seats, space for one wheelchair user, and standing room for +
30 passengers. The vehicles will be put to use in London city centre,
more specifically on the route RV1 which runs between Covent Garden and
Tower Gateway.
The hybrid drive system will enable
the buses, with a tank content of 30 kg of hydrogen on board, to travel
the planned daily distance of 300 km for TfL (Transport for London).
The drive system is based on fuel
cells, lithium batteries and electric motors. The bus runs entirely on
electricity. Hydrogen is converted into electricity in the fuel cell,
with water vapour as the only emission, while the batteries provide
additional power as and when needed. This hybrid drive system and the
reuse of braking energy limits hydrogen consumption to around 8 kg per
100 km.
Filip Van Hool, CEO of Van Hool, is
delighted with this new endorsement: “The fact that TfL, which operates a
fleet of 9.050 buses, is ordering these buses from Van Hool, must be
seen as a vote of confidence in this technology and our products. Van
Hool has already supplied 49 hydrogen buses to the US and to European
member states as part of other European projects, including five buses
to De Lijn Antwerp.
The hydrogen powered buses already on the RV1 route are bodied by Wright
This new generation of hydrogen buses, which are
being built at our facility in Koningshooikt, will pave the way for
further commercialisation. These types of high added value vehicles are
essential for the production unit in Koningshooikt.”
Van Hool was set up in 1947 and is located in Koningshooikt. The vast
majority of items produced are destined for Europe and the US. Van Hool
has over 4,800 employees worldwide, most of whom are based at the
production facilities in Koningshooikt and Bree in Belgium, as well as Skopje in Macedonia.
