- Emission-free and quiet urban traffic
- Use until the end of February
traffiQ–Green future for public transport: DB Regio Bus Mitte is testing the use of a hydrogen bus in Frankfurt. The “H2.City Gold” model from the Portuguese manufacturer CaetanoBus will be on the road from tomorrow to the end of February on route 59 via Griesheim to Frankfurt-Höchst.
On the emission-free journey, passengers benefit from ergonomic seats, a very spacious interior and a significantly quieter driving experience.
The experience of the trial operation forms the basis for emission-free city traffic in Germany. Guido Verhoefen, Managing Director of DB Regio Bus Mitte: “Emission-free drives in buses are an important component for the environmentally friendly mobility of the future. At DB Regio Bus we remain open to new technological developments. We are therefore very proud that, with this test, we are also at the forefront when it comes to hydrogen propulsion. ”
Dr.-Ing. Tom Reinhold, managing director of the Frankfurter Nahverkehrsgesellschaft traffiQ: “The fuel cell technology is an elementary component of the urban concept to make all of Frankfurt’s local transport diesel-free. We therefore very much welcome it when our service provider DB Regio Bus Mitte acquires experience with this technology. ”
The city of Frankfurt decided on a mixed concept of night charging in the depot and fuel cells, which is best suited for the local line network. While night chargers are more cost-effective for short journeys, fuel cell technology seems particularly suitable for long journeys due to the long range.
Batteries, fuel cells and hydrogen tanks are housed on the roof of the bus. The hydrogen bus receives the fuel it needs at a special filling station on the grounds of the industrial park in Frankfurt Höchst. With a capacity of around 37 kg of hydrogen, the bus has a range of up to 400 km, according to the manufacturer.
High passenger numbers and traffic density as well as short distances between stops with frequent starts and stops: the demands on the hydrogen bus in Frankfurt are considerable. The test collects experience and consumption values under real conditions. DB Regio Bus Mitte works closely with the urban public transport company traffiQ.
Last year, DB Regio Bus Mitte tested alternative bus drives in demanding Frankfurt city traffic. In July and August, trips with e-buses from the French manufacturer Heuliez and the German manufacturer MAN took place between Griesheim and Unterliederbach.
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