The City of Cottbus has ordered 46 Wrightbus Kite Hydroliner hydrogen fuel cell buses
Wrightbus says it is thrilled to be able to announce what it calls a milestone deal to provide 46 new Kite Hydroliner hydrogen buses to German operator Cottbusverkehr GmbH for the city of Cottbus. They are the operator’s first hydrogen buses, are VDV compliant and also meet the requirements of the European General Safety Regulation GSR2, which covers safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users.
Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales said the deal was a vital step in helping Germany decarbonise its public transport network: “We are delighted to be working with the city of Cottbus on this incredibly important initiative. Hydrogen has a key role to play in moving away from fossil fuels to decarbonise energy and provide cleaner air for all. This is especially true in public transport, and we are proud that our buses will be on the streets providing and clean and comfortable service for the people of this region,” he said. “This is one of our largest orders in Germany to date and we look forward to our ongoing relationship.”
Ralf Thalmann, CEO of Cottbusverkehr, added: “Cottbusverkehr will run 11 Kite Hydroliners for city traffic in and around Cottbus. We will take an additional 35 hydrogen buses and gradually use them for local transport in the Spree-Neisse region in 2025. This is a big step in Lusatia towards climate-neutral local public transport. We look forward to working with Wrightbus. With its offer, the company has shown its commitment and willingness to offer suitable solutions.”
Cottbus Mayor Marietta Tzschoppe commented: “We are taking a first, important step towards the future of mobility. This is where the energy transition becomes concrete and it creates a positive impact for our passengers.”
The first buses are due to be delivered at the end of 2024.
