Arriva Nederland and Solaris Bus & Coach have signed an agreement for the delivery of ten Solaris Urbino12 hydrogen buses. The 12-meter-long hydrogen buses will be delivered to the Province of Gelderland in the course of this year.
Arriva will drive it in December 2021 (at the start of the 2022 timetable) in the Achterhoek and the Cleantech region of Zutphen / Apeldoorn and surroundings European subsidy for ten hydrogen buses
At the end of last year, the Provincial Executive of Gelderland announced that it was participating in the European JIVE2 program, which focuses on the promotion of emission-free public transport. The ten hydrogen buses will replace the current diesel buses and together drive more than 1 million kilometers per year. With this, a European subsidy will give an impulse to the greening of mobility, the production of green hydrogen and the realization of the hydrogen infrastructure.
How does a hydrogen bus work
Solaris will produce the technologically advanced buses. The quiet and completely emission-free hydrogen buses are powered with energy produced in fuel cells. The only byproducts of the reaction that takes place therein are heat and steam. The electrical power that is released during the reverse electrolysis process is transferred to the powertrain, consisting of a shaft with electric motors. Each bus is equipped with an additional storage space for electrical energy, the Solaris High Power battery. The hydrogen needed to power the Urbino12 hydrogen bus is stored in tanks with a total volume of 1560 liters, mounted on the roof of the bus.
Comfort for the traveler
The hydrogen bus is suitable for 85 people. There will be 37 seats in total. The buses are equipped with all conveniences such as USB charging points, air conditioning and a modern passenger information system. The bus will also be equipped with CCTV cameras. A wheelchair space has been set up for people with reduced mobility and a ramp can be used to drive into the bus.
Comfort and convenience for the driver
A climate-controlled seat and an electrically heated windscreen ensure a high level of comfort for the driver. The driver will soon be able to use all kinds of automatic driver assistance systems to improve road safety. For example, the driver will work with cameras instead of side mirrors and with the so-called ‘Mobileye Shield’. This is a system of intelligent cameras that monitor the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, reducing the risk of collisions with pedestrians or cyclists. Drivers are warned of possible dangers with sound and visual signals.
100,000 kilometers per year on hydrogen
Driving on hydrogen is a first for Arriva Netherlands. Thanks to its use in regular regional transport, Arriva will cover a record number of kilometers with these buses. It is a condition of the JIVE2 project that in the period December 2021 to December 2024 each hydrogen bus must drive at least 50,000 kilometers per year. However, Arriva and the province of Gelderland are aiming to double the number of 100,000 kilometers per year.
Hydrogen filling point
Arriva, with the support of the province, is committed to the realization of a hydrogen filling point by December 2021. The possibilities of realizing a hydrogen filling station for green hydrogen in Doetinchem or Groenlo are being examined. The intention is that this will eventually become a publicly accessible petrol station.
Investment
The total estimated maximum additional costs for the 10 buses are 6.4 million euros for 4 years. The province, Europe and Arriva jointly invest in this. In addition, a contribution is requested from the government.
Project JIVE2
JIVE2 stands for Joint Initiative For Hydrogen Vehicles Across Europe. It is the second installment of a European project. The aim is to stimulate hydrogen buses in public transport. This by making a subsidy of € 148,000 per bus available. Throughout Europe, this involves subsidies for 152 buses in 14 European regions. Participants in JIVE2 are included as a participant in the GRANT AGREEMENT. The provinces of Zuid-Holland and OV-Bureau Groningen-Drenthe have already decided to participate in the JIVE2 project.
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