Normandy, Occitania and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions are leading the way in retrofitting diesel coaches to hydrogen. And these vehicles are not simply virtual, they’re actually on the road.
Starting this Monday, a field trial will begin on the regional line between Évreux and Rouen, reports Paris Normandie. “A world first”, the article reads. This is the Nomad Car 216 express line. Normandy was the first region to be approved, as recalled in this Transdev press release. It is worth noting that the project involved over a dozen players. The operation, carried out on an Iveco Crossway coach that is over 5 years old, has resulted in an extended range of up to 450 km (30% more than a conventional electric coach), with the added bonus of zero emissions (the coach emits only water vapour) and silence.
GCK has also recently completed the certification process, and has secured a major order for (at least) 50 coaches from the Rhône-Alpes-Auvergne region. This is also a conversion based on the Iveco Crossway.
And more recently, Safra has been awarded the famous sesame for a retrofitted coach based on the Mercedes Intourer. With a range of 500 km, the first hydrogen retrofitted vehicles will be joining the liO, Les transports de Ma Région network operated by the SPL (French for French public local Company). In total, 15 coaches will undergo this conversion and “makeover” to switch to zero-emission mode.
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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Mariem Ben Tili
