Irizar’s first prototype hydrogen fuel cell coach made its first public appearance at Busworld Europe 2023
Busworld in Brussels marked the début of the first prototype of Irizar’s hydrogen-fuelled i6S Efficient. Irizar said the project shows its firm commitment to offering a complete range of zero-emissions vehicles for both long and short range, and marks a milestone along the path of decarbonising its complete range of vehicles.
The manufacturer’s first hydrogen vehicle has been developed by Irizar in conjunction with other leading companies and technology centres. It is currently in a testing phase, the company explained, allowing the accumulation of experience with and knowledge of the technology which will allow it to shape the future of its hydrogen range.
The coach has a range of up to 1,000km and a refuelling time of around 20 minutes, meaning minimal changes to how operators use the vehicle compared to battery-electric. The coach can also run in 100% electric mode for short times, if required.
Irizar says its future range of hydrogen vehicles, which currently includes the i6S Efficient and i4, will have substantial improvements over the first version presented at Busworld, including a larger baggage compartment, greater passenger capacity, a longer range and lower weight.
Irizar expects that the batteries will stay with the vehicle for its entire useful life and that the fuel cell will need maintenance, without replacing components, after around 30,000 hours of operation, depending on the kind of routes and use.
See this week’s feature for more from Irizar at Busworld.
