This month has seen TMB’s bus fleet get its first vehicle powered by latest-generation hydrogen. After going through the usual preliminary process to become part of the fleet, including tests without any passengers, the model is due to come into commercial service on regular bus routes in 2022.

This is the first of eight buses to be added to the fleet as part of the plan to decarbonise public transport, moving towards new mobility which is free from pollutant emissions.

The addition comes as Spain’s first green hydrogen plant comes into service in Zona Franca, very near to the bus depot. Promoted by TMB and owned by Iberdrola, the goal is for the plant to supply green hydrogen for this fleet and others, at the same time driving other industries around the industrial estate which opt for this new technology. The intention is to consolidate the plant as a green hydrogen hub for one of the country’s most important industrial areas.

The plant received a subsidy from the Connecting Europe Facilities for Transport programme by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). It is also part of the European Hydrogen Strategy and the Hydrogen Roadmap by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.

Water vapour emissions

The bus only emits water vapour and will be refuelled at the Zona Franca plant, requiring twenty kilos of hydrogen a day. In terms of technical specifications, it measures a standard 12 metres and features three access doors. It uses a Toyota fuel cell battery giving 60kW of nominal power, has five hydrogen tanks and an H2 storage capacity of 37.5 kilos. The vehicle was manufactured and delivered by the company CaetanoBus and corresponds to the H2 City Gold HD model.