Citybus enters hydrogen era

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The prototype hydrogen tri-axle bus for Citybus is expected to enter service in January. CITYBUS

HONG KONG

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Lee Ka-chiu officially launched operator Citybus’ new hydrogen double-deck bus and refuelling station, the first of their kind in Hong Kong.

Under the slogan ‘The Future is H2re,’ the operator is now preparing for the launch of its hydrogen bus into service, which is expected to take plave during January. It will be tested alongside electric and diesel buses, providing insights to aid the Government in formulating policies for future bus provision.

Chief Executive of the HKSAR Lee Ka-chiu, was joined by Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan and Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung at the official launch ceremony at Citybus’West Kowloon depot. Chairman of Citybus Cliff Zhang announced that the bus, the world’s first tri-axle hydrogen double-decker, had completed type approval. He said: “Hydrogen plays a pivotal role in the future national energy landscape and as countries worldwide consider hydrogen as a future clean energy source. We are confident that our hydrogen bus and refuelling station will become iconic zero-emission projects for Hong Kong on the wider international stage, and a ‘postcard’ showcasing our advancements in the new energy field.”

Production versions of the bus are expected to have a much larger hydrogen storage capacity, around double that of the prototype, enabling a 400 kilometre range in Hong Kong operating conditions and permitting a like-for-like replacement of diesel buses.

The operator is preparing for the installation of a second hydrogen refuelling station at its Hong Kong Island Chong Fu depot, which is larger than the one at West Kowloon.