Wrightbus Ltd – CoacH2 – Next generation hydrogen fuel-cell coach powertrain demonstrator
Accelerating the development of zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell electric coaches, with a full on-vehicle technology demonstrator.
Coaches are an integral part of the public transport network, with over 30,000 diesel coaches operating across the UK and Ireland. Due to the specific demands of coach operation (motorway driving, long-range, high passenger and luggage loading capacity) decarbonisation options for this sector are extremely limited with hydrogen fuel-cell technology considered the most viable choice. This project will tackle this difficult to decarbonise sector by developing, testing and validating an innovative hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain suitable for coach applications.
Delivered by a Northern Irish consortium spanning OEM, coach operator and academia, CoacH2 will accelerate the development of zero-emission, fuel-cell electric coaches, with a full on-vehicle technology demonstrator to be manufactured and showcased at Cenex Expo 2024.
Project Highlights:
- Development of a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain to address the significant technical challenges of cooling, packaging, and sufficient on-board hydrogen storage
- Measuring in-service efficiency, functionality and reliability, via extensive testing with demonstrator vehicle, undertaking shadow service of existing Translink routes
- Development of a toolkit for evaluating whole-life energy, cost and carbon of zero-emission coaches with the aim of informing decarbonisation strategies.
- Total project value £1.2 million, with £631,000 funded through the APC.
Project Consortium