United Kingdom-based zero-emission bus manufacturer Wrightbus has reached a milestone deal to provide 46 hydrogen buses to Germany, taking a demo bus from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to showcase its reliability and range.
These buses ordered by Cottbusverkehr GmbH will serve the city of Cottbus, the second largest city in the German state of Brandenburg and located in the western part of the Spree-Neiße district. The first buses are due to be delivered at the end of 2024.
This transaction follows a landmark announcement by the German government to implement a 350 million euro plan to support the production of renewable hydrogen.
The Cottbus order for the Kite Hydroliner buses comes after deals in Germany with West Verkehr, Regionalverkehr Köln GmbH (RVK) and Saarbahn GmbH, with more European orders in the Wrightbus pipeline.
Jean-Marc Gales, Wrightbus CEO, says the deal was a vital step in helping Germany decarbonize its public transport network.
“We are delighted to be working with the city of Cottbus on this incredibly important initiative,” says Gales. “Hydrogen has a key role to play in moving away from fossil fuels to decarbonize 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. This is one of our largest orders in Germany to date, and we look forward to our ongoing relationship.”
The 46 buses ordered by Cottbusverkehr GmbH are the operator’s first hydrogen buses. They are compliant with VDV (Association of German Transport Companies) regulations 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.
“Cottbusverkehr will run 11 Kite Hydroliners for city traffic in and around Cottbus,” says Ralf Thalmann, CEO of Cottbusverkehr. “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 toward 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.”
