The first hydrogen-electric bus, the Hydron, will be unveiled by Loop Energy and Italian bus maker Rampini Carlo SpA.
In as many months, Rampini is the third Loop Energy client to introduce a platform for hydrogen-electric buses. It follows Rampini’s decision to discontinue the production of diesel buses in 2018 in order to concentrate on providing electric platforms, a trend the industry is adopting.
Rampini chose Loop Energy’s fuel cell for its hydrogen-electric bus platform primarily due to its fuel efficiency. Lower fuel usage in buses can result in fuel cost savings, increased range, and less physical footprint needs, lowering the fleet operators’ total cost of ownership.
Rampini used their battery-electric bus architecture to create the Hydron bus, making adjustments to include fuel storage and a Loop Energy S300 (30 kW) fuel cell engine. The bus is 8 meters long, can accommodate 48 passengers, and has a 10.8 kilogram hydrogen tank that gives it a 450 kilometer range. Because of the bus’s increased range, operators can continue operating without stopping to refuel.
Rampini will introduce a hydrogen-electric bus platform in 2022 alongside fellow Loop Energy clients Aluminum Revolutionary Chassis Company (Australia), NGVI (South Korea), and Mobility & Innovation (Slovakia). All of the buses will go through fleet operators’ trials in their specific markets.
