Hydrogen vehicles

[Solo1]

The hydrogens appear to be very religious, not done any work since the 22nd.

May be the refueling place is shut for Christmas/new year or problem with the pumps there

[markcf83]

May be the refueling place is shut for Christmas/new year or problem with the pumps there

Did wonder why I haven't seen any both yesterday and just now. 

[Gareth]

The whole thing is just one giant white elephant. They should seriously look into abandoning it completely. It's an embarrassment.

[Ronnoc]

It's very unfortunate because the buses themselves aren't bad. However, there have been very few orders of Hydroliners compared to the newer Electroliners. So surely after seeing the headache and lack of popularity with hydrogen, NX should focus on one source of power to reach zero-emission fleet targets?

[Mayfield]

Love to know how many hours of service each one has achieved since delivery, surprised they haven't got flat spots on the tyres from being parked in the same position.

[Stu]

It's very unfortunate because the buses themselves aren't bad. However, there have been very few orders of Hydroliners compared to the newer Electroliners. So surely after seeing the headache and lack of popularity with hydrogen, NX should focus on one source of power to reach zero-emission fleet targets?

According to Roger French's recent blog, operators in Liverpool and Crawley have both experienced similar issues with lack of hydrogen refuelling capability.

It must be frustrating for Wrightbus too, as no doubt they'd love to take on more orders for their FCEVs, but operators are being put off for this reason - not having local facilities to actually refuel them efficiently and reliably.

I do feel that in the long-term, hydrogen fuel cells are better suited for HGVs and buses/coaches that do more long-distance work, without requiring frequent battery recharging.

But the infrastructure just 'isn't quite there' yet.

The whole thing is just one giant white elephant. They should seriously look into abandoning it completely. It's an embarrassment.

It would be more embarrassing if NX were committing to buy more hydrogen vehicles without having an agreed timeline in place for the installation of hydrogen generation/refuelling facilities at the garages expected to run those vehicles.

ZEBRA funding is all very well and good, but ultimately it is taxpayers money being wasted if the money doesn't result in bus services regularly using zero emission vehicles and 'saving the planet', if said zero-emission vehicles have to sit around doing nothing because of a lack of fuel to power them.

These 20 hydrogen FCEVs at Walsall were bought by Birmingham City Council using ZEBRA funding, and I assume they are being leased to NX Bus under some kind of arrangement.

I do have to question how long this situation will have to go on for, before NX Bus decide it is not worth paying for vehicles that can't be regularly used in active service, and hand them back to BCC.

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

According to Roger French's recent blog, operators in Liverpool and Crawley have both experienced similar issues with lack of hydrogen refuelling capability.

It must be frustrating for Wrightbus too, as no doubt they'd love to take on more orders for their FCEVs, but operators are being put off for this reason - not having local facilities to actually refuel them efficiently and reliably.

I do feel that in the long-term, hydrogen fuel cells are better suited for HGVs and buses/coaches that do more long-distance work, without requiring frequent battery recharging.

But the infrastructure just 'isn't quite there' yet.

It would be more embarrassing if NX were committing to buy more hydrogen vehicles without having an agreed timeline in place for the installation of hydrogen generation/refuelling facilities at the garages expected to run those vehicles.

ZEBRA funding is all very well and good, but ultimately it is taxpayers money being wasted if the money doesn't result in bus services regularly using zero emission vehicles and 'saving the planet', if said zero-emission vehicles have to sit around doing nothing because of a lack of fuel to power them.

These 20 hydrogen FCEVs at Walsall were bought by Birmingham City Council using ZEBRA funding, and I assume they are being leased to NX Bus under some kind of arrangement.

I do have to question how long this situation will have to go on for, before NX Bus decide it is not worth paying for vehicles that can't be regularly used in active service, and hand them back to BCC.

Couldn't NX buy them and convert them to normal Electric the old awnser would be Diesel but that isn't happening anymore so can't they convert them to being normal Electroliners

[Stu]

Couldn't NX buy them and convert them to normal Electric the old awnser would be Diesel but that isn't happening anymore so can't they convert them to being normal Electroliners

Why would they spend millions of pounds buying these off BCC to then spend even more money to convert them to full electric? (if it's even possible).

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Why would they spend millions of pounds buying these off BCC to then spend even more money to convert them to full electric? (if it's even possible).

True I did think that after I posted it. 

[EK40]

According to Roger French's recent blog, operators in Liverpool and Crawley have both experienced similar issues with lack of hydrogen refuelling capability.

It must be frustrating for Wrightbus too, as no doubt they'd love to take on more orders for their FCEVs, but operators are being put off for this reason - not having local facilities to actually refuel them efficiently and reliably.

I do feel that in the long-term, hydrogen fuel cells are better suited for HGVs and buses/coaches that do more long-distance work, without requiring frequent battery recharging.

But the infrastructure just 'isn't quite there' yet.

Aberdeen has similar issues as well even since having hydrogen vehicles since 2014 with those 6x2 vanhools, first has to regularly loan e400cities and e300s from glasgow to cover for unavailable hydrogens (around 25 vehicles).

[markcf83]

According to Roger French's recent blog, operators in Liverpool and Crawley have both experienced similar issues with lack of hydrogen refuelling capability.

It must be frustrating for Wrightbus too, as no doubt they'd love to take on more orders for their FCEVs, but operators are being put off for this reason - not having local facilities to actually refuel them efficiently and reliably.

I do feel that in the long-term, hydrogen fuel cells are better suited for HGVs and buses/coaches that do more long-distance work, without requiring frequent battery recharging.

But the infrastructure just 'isn't quite there' yet.

It would be more embarrassing if NX were committing to buy more hydrogen vehicles without having an agreed timeline in place for the installation of hydrogen generation/refuelling facilities at the garages expected to run those vehicles.

These 20 hydrogen FCEVs at Walsall were bought by Birmingham City Council using ZEBRA funding, and I assume they are being leased to NX Bus under some kind of arrangement.

There's about forty in Aberdeen and twenty or so with Metroline in London. Both have been having sporadic issues with getting fuel for them.

[Wba_lad]

Just seen H1015 in Walsall on hatherton road, pouring water out and smoking, I know it's normal for bits of water to come out of them but this was proper pouring out.

[Mayfield]

Are you sure it was a hydrogen and not an optical illusion 

[BBS]

Just seen H1015 in Walsall on hatherton road, pouring water out and smoking, I know it's normal for bits of water to come out of them but this was proper pouring out.

I'm sure hydrogens don't pour water out like a tap would mate 

[winston]

I'm sure hydrogens don't pour water out like a tap would mate

Hydrogens release steam aswell as water.