German operator Rheinbahn Düsseldorf has placed an order for 10 Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen buses.
This strategic decision aligns with Düsseldorf’s broader commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2035 and reflects a growing trend across European cities to embrace sustainable transit solutions.
Solaris, a prominent manufacturer of electric and hydrogen-powered buses, is set to deliver the hydrogen buses to Düsseldorf in 2025. This order follows a series of recent successes for Solaris, with new orders pouring in from cities like Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Duisburg, and Gross Gerau. The manufacturer proudly announces that the total number of its hydrogen-powered buses, either supplied or ordered, has surpassed the impressive mark of 700 units.
Düsseldorf has been progressively implementing its sustainable transit strategy, incorporating both battery-electric and hydrogen-powered buses into its urban fleet. A previous order for 20 e-buses by VDL was placed in 2023. Additionally, Rheinbahn introduced ten battery-powered buses from Irizar e-mobility in December 2020. Unfortunately, eight of these buses were destroyed in a fire at the bus depot in Heerdt, prompting an immediate reorder, which is currently underway.
The newly ordered hydrogen buses will be powered by green hydrogen, produced locally using a one-megawatt (MW) electrolyzer investment by Stadtwerke Düsseldorf. This investment signifies a commitment to sustainable practices, ensuring that the hydrogen used is generated exclusively from renewable electricity sources. Rheinbahn’s transition to climate-friendly vehicles involves the procurement of 20 fuel cell buses, which will be refueled at an H2 MOBILITY filling station on Stadtwerke’s premises in Flingern. Until the station’s completion in mid-2024, Rheinbahn’s buses will refuel at Oerschbachstraße in Düsseldorf-Reisholz.
The 12-meter hydrogen buses will feature a 70 kW Ballard hydrogen fuel cell, supported by Solaris High Power batteries. The integration of these advanced technologies ensures efficient energy utilization and adherence to safety standards, compliant with GSR2 requirements for the highest levels of passenger and driver safety.
As Rheinbahn Düsseldorf embraces Solaris’s hydrogen buses, the city takes a bold step towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly future in public transportation.
