Hydrogen vehicles

[cardew]

Mentioned in the Public pack agenda document for the latest WMCA meeting is the news that the 124 buses in the ZEBRA scheme will now comprise 24 electric articulated vehicles (changed from hydrogen) and 100 hydrogen vehicles. The Department For Transport has extended the project delivery deadline to May 2026.

[Mayfield]

100 hydrogens, 50 in service and 50 parked at the depot then.

[Steve3229vp]

100 hydrogens, 50 in service and 50 parked at the depot then.

Very easy to make a silly comment like that. If what you stated was likely to happen then why would an order for Hydrogen buses be placed ?

[cvbususer]

Very easy to make a silly comment like that. If what you stated was likely to happen then why would an order for Hydrogen buses be placed ?

To be fair to the quoted poster, BCC still spent however many millions on the current hydrogens despite the infrastructure being miles off and an EIS being virtually doomed from the start.

It's not at all a silly comment at all when those pushing the buttons in govt (local and national) are aimlessly spending taxpayer cash to hit environmental targets and have something they can claim credit for. The electric rollout in Coventry has worked seemingly wonderfully, hydrogen evidently isn't quite there yet, and to be fair might not be by the time this next batch arrive.

[Steve3229vp]

To be fair to the quoted poster, BCC still spent however many millions on the current hydrogens despite the infrastructure being miles off and an EIS being virtually doomed from the start.

It's not at all a silly comment at all when those pushing the buttons in govt (local and national) are aimlessly spending taxpayer cash to hit environmental targets and have something they can claim credit for. The electric rollout in Coventry has worked seemingly wonderfully, hydrogen evidently isn't quite there yet, and to be fair might not be by the time this next batch arrive.

Well if that's the case why have they been ordered ?

[Stu]

Well if that's the case why have they been ordered ?

It's far easier to spend other peoples' money for the sake of spending it. We already saw this with BCC spending the funding they received on this first batch, without ensuring the fuelling infrastructure would be in place and fully functional at the time of delivery.

Besides, by the time these new hydrogen buses are delivered, Walsall garage will hopefully have their own hydrogen refuelling facility installed, rather than having to trek over to Tyseley every day.

Therefore it would make sense if these 100 hydrogen buses were for use at Walsall.

[Steve3229vp]

It's far easier to spend other peoples' money for the sake of spending it. We already saw this with BCC spending the funding they received on this first batch, without ensuring the fuelling infrastructure would be in place and fully functional at the time of delivery.

Besides, by the time these new hydrogen buses are delivered, Walsall garage will hopefully have their own hydrogen refuelling facility installed, rather than having to trek over to Tyseley every day.

Therefore it would make sense if these 100 hydrogen buses were for use at Walsall.

I agree entirely 

[Stevo]

I'd like some on AG - a stone's throw away from the Tyseley facility. On the 4 would be nice...

[cvbususer]

Well if that's the case why have they been ordered ?

I suspect if you look hard enough you'll find a similar reason to why BCC are essentially going bust. 

Because the idea is nice, but the reality hasn't actually been thought through properly by anyone (or at least hasn't in the past.... Maybe this time will be different)

[Tony]

I suspect if you look hard enough you'll find a similar reason to why BCC are essentially going bust.

Because the idea is nice, but the reality hasn't actually been thought through properly by anyone (or at least hasn't in the past.... Maybe this time will be different)

The reason BCC are going bust is nothing of the sort, more to do with equal pay claims

[Stu]

I suspect if you look hard enough you'll find a similar reason to why BCC are essentially going bust. 

The reason BCC are going bust is nothing of the sort, more to do with equal pay claims

BCC applied for government funding which they won and then used to buy the first batch of hydrogen buses.

I presume NX lease those vehicles from BCC?

[Mayfield]

The hydrogens are nearly 3 years old and you can't get them all in service at once, giving numerous reasons including the fuelling facilities, what makes you think it going to get any better in the future, hydrogen is not the way forward, the reason is because the people who think they wonderful are the ones that made the poor decisions from the start and bury there heads in the sand and try and justify the decisions, end of shift for electrics park it, plug it and forget it until the morning and it's considerably cheaper with hydrogen likely to get more expensive.

[Mayfield]

When are the 100 due to be delivered, which depot/deports are going to operate them and what facilities are in place or being built ?

[Stu]

The hydrogens are nearly 3 years old and you can't get them all in service at once, giving numerous reasons including the fuelling facilities, what makes you think it going to get any better in the future, hydrogen is not the way forward, the reason is because the people who think they wonderful are the ones that made the poor decisions from the start and bury there heads in the sand and try and justify the decisions, end of shift for electrics park it, plug it and forget it until the morning and it's considerably cheaper with hydrogen likely to get more expensive.

I believe it has always been the intention that hydrogen refuelling facilities would be installed at the depot, that will be the 'game-changer' for NX.

I would like to think that is being factored in to any future plans.

[MW]

How are hydrogen powered vehicles performing elsewhere in the UK?

There's a batch in Aberdeen, if I recall correctly.