Bus travel with hydrogen

Bus travel with hydrogen

After the Hyundai Elec City city bus successfully mastered its daily practical use in its home market of South Korea and has been undergoing short-term testing at numerous bus operators throughout Europe since June 2021, long-term testing is now underway in Austria as part of the “HyBus Implementation” project. The Hyundai Fuel Cell Bus measures 10.99 meters in length, 2.49 meters in width, has a wheelbase of 5.4 meters, a height of 3.47 meters and has a capacity of 25 seats (including the driver's seat) and up to 36 standing places. Its own weight is 12,660 kg and the permissible total weight is 16,900 kg. The maneuverable city bus with a turning circle of 10.8 meters has a headroom of 2.36 meters in the passenger compartment, and there are sufficient handrails installed. The Elec City has a low-floor design up to the rear axle, including wall-mounted passenger seats.

For the engine, Hyundai uses the liquid-cooled ZF asynchronous central motor Cetrax CX 220 110 B with 180 kW rated continuous output. The energy for the drive is provided by two 90 kW fuel cell modules connected in parallel and located in the classic engine compartment at the rear. Liquid-cooled, modular lithium-ion buffer batteries are installed in the front roof area. The five carbon fiber reinforced pressure tanks, each with a capacity of 175 liters, are also installed in the roof area. Around 33.15 kg of hydrogen can be carried in it. The range is up to 550 km, depending on temperature, road conditions and driving style. Austria's first hydrogen buses are being used in a large-scale national long-term demonstration in urban, regional and Alpine public transport in the east (Vienna), south (Graz) and west (Tyrol) of Austria. Above all, the criteria for the quality-assured operation and procurement of hydrogen fuel cell buses are researched and defined. The project is supported by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund with €1.8 million. “Exactly 30 years after the start of Hyundai passenger car sales activities in Austria, I am very pleased that Hyundai, as a pioneer in alternative drives, is once again living up to its game-changer role and is bringing hydrogen electric buses to Austria for the first time with the Hyundai ELEC CITY, thereby also writing Austrian history in public transport - for a sustainable and climate-neutral future,” says Roland Punzengruber, Managing Director of Hyundai Import GesmbH.