In the coming year, ÖBB Postbus will be turning its bus services green! The company has been investing in testing alternative and emission-free drive systems for the past several years. Up to now, battery-powered electric engines were seen as the best climate-friendly alternative to diesel fuelled buses. However, climate-neutral hydrogen buses offer a completely new approach!
Five of these hydrogen-powered buses have already been integrated into the public transport network during the past two years. With this technology, ÖBB Postbus is positioning itself as a pioneer in alternative drive systems in Austrian regional bus transport and is the first bus company to use hydrogen buses in intercity transport, thereby setting an example for climate-neutral mobility. The goal is to operate a total of 36 hydrogen buses in the Villach area by the end of May 2026 - 35 of them on regional services and one on urban services in Villach.
The power source: green hydrogen
Hydrogen technology does not produce any emissions that are harmful to the climate, as it is powered by green hydrogen. Hydrogen is divided into three categories, with grey and blue hydrogen being classified as harmful to the climate. In contrast, green hydrogen is produced by electrolysing water and using electricity from renewable energy sources. This makes the cycle and therefore also bus services operated by hydrogen buses completely climate-neutral.
This new technology has many advantages and may even become more efficient than conventional combustion engines in the future. Each bus with a zero-emission powertrain saves around 90% of CO2 over the course of its service life compared to a conventional diesel bus. Electric or hydrogen-powered drive systems not only emit no pollutants such as particulates, nitrogen oxides or sulphur oxides, they are also significantly quieter than ‘normal buses’. In addition to offering a climate-friendly journey, this also reduces noise pollution for everyone involved. During the winter months, the heat generated by the chemical reaction in the fuel cell is also used to heat the bus.
Technical details of the bus:
The new hydrogen buses have a 70 kW fuel cell and can store up to 37.5 kilograms of hydrogen. A traction battery with a capacity of 30 kWh functions as the buffer. With a range of up to 350 kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen, the buses have an even longer range than an electric bus. They can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h.