Hochbahn: Doubts about hydrogen buses in Hamburg

Image: Solaris

Hochbahn’s board chairman, Jens-Günter Lang, expressed doubts about the use of hydrogen buses in Hamburg’s public transportation. In an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur, he stated that the five fuel cell buses ordered from Solaris in March 2023 have not yet been officially delivered due to insufficient quality standards.

"We realize this isn't our path," said Lang. The readiness of hydrogen buses, which have been in operation for just over a year, is lower than that of diesel or electric buses due to the complex technology involved. Additionally, high operating costs arise. Lang described green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, as "incredibly expensive."

The fuel cell bus Urbino 12 hydrogen manufactured by Solaris can travel 350 kilometers on a single hydrogen tank fill. It is equipped with a 70-kW fuel cell, five hydrogen tanks on the roof, and two electric motors near the wheels. The bus is fueled with hydrogen at a pressure of 350 bar.

Hamburg Hochbahn is now focusing more on battery-powered buses, as they are less environmentally harmful during operation compared to diesel buses. The company’s fleet currently includes over 1,100 vehicles, of which about 430 are electric.

Since 2020, Hamburg Hochbahn has acquired only zero-emission buses. By 2031, the company plans to increase the proportion of fully electric buses from around 40 percent to 60 percent.

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Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with experience in the automotive and financial industries. Since 2011, he has been covering electric vehicles, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions for ecomento.de. Learn more.

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