RET orders two fuel cell buses at Van Hool

Within the 3Emotion project, RET expands his bus fleet in Rotterdam with two fuel cell buses.  These buses are ordered at Van Hool.  In the summer of 2017 the buses will drive in the schedule of RET.

Press release RET:

RET is expanding its bus fleet with two hydrogen-powered electric buses. Last week CEO Pedro Peters signed the purchase agreement with Van Hool from Belgium. The procurement of these hydrogen buses is a continuation of previous experiments with hybrid and electric buses. With these new buses the total of special buses will amount to six on a total of 250 buses in the whole RET bus fleet.  The two buses cost €850,000 each and are subsidized by different parties. The deployment of the two hydrogen buses in the schedule of RET will start summer 2017. This experiment is a next step towards an entire emission-free fleet. .

Hydrogen buses
Hydrogen buses always drive electric. A fuel cell and batteries provide power to the electric motors that drive the wheels and other components (such as power assisted steering, air conditioning, heating etc.). In addition, the energy that is generated during braking is returned to the batteries and can be re-used. That makes that these buses are very efficient with the available energy.

These buses only emit  water vapour , which is good for the air quality. In addition, hydrogen buses are quieter than diesel buses. 

The two buses will be supplied in summer 2017 by Van Hool from Lier, Belgium. These buses have zero emissions, meaning they do not emit CO2 or other air pollutants. Similar buses also drive in Oslo, Antwerp, Aberdeen, Cologne and London.

The Metropolitan Region Rotterdam The Hague (MRDH) will use the experience and knowledge gained with these hydrogen buses for future concession grants.

Subsidy
The procurement of the two hydrogen buses is made possible by the European Union, from the Seventh Framework Programme for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative under grant agreement nr. 633174., the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, which has since closed an agreement with MRDH, and the Rotterdam municipality. These parties wish to contribute to a sustainable and liveable region and a public transport system that is as clean as possible. For the European part RET participates in the project 3Emotion, which aims to further develop these buses and hydrogen refuelling stations and to prepare for commercial introduction. More information on 3emotion.eu.

For questions about this press release please contact Frouke Albers, director spokesperson of RET, 010- 447 67 77.

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Press Realease Van Hool:

Van Hool building 2 fuel cell buses for Rotterdam

Koningshooikt (Lier) – Van Hool – an independent manufacturer of buses, touring coaches and industrial vehicles – has concluded a contract with RET, the public transport company of the metropolitan region of Rotterdam (Netherlands) for the construction of 2 latest-generation hydrogen buses. Van Hool recently announced a similar order for London. This new contract also fits within 3Emotion, a European consortium for hydrogen buses in which Van Hool acts as project coordinator. Hydrogen buses, in which hydrogen is converted into electricity, are today amongst the most environmentally-friendly vehicles for public transport: they generate no emissions (total absence of harmful emissions and CO2) and have a strongly reduced noise level. The two buses for RET will be delivered in the summer of 2017.

Van Hool CEO Filip Van Hool is delighted with this new reference: "After London and Antwerp, yet another major European city - in this case Rotterdam - is now confirming its confidence in the most environmentally-friendly technology in public transport. These vehicles, with their high added value, are of crucial importance for the production facility in Koningshooikt.”

The 3Emotion project, the framework in which these hydrogen buses are being supplied, is financially supported by the EU via the FCH-JU, under subsidy agreement 633.174 and by a series of local government authorities.

Van Hool is an independent Belgian manufacturer of buses, touring coaches and industrial vehicles. The company, founded in 1947, is established in Koningshooikt. Most of its production is intended for Europe and America. Van Hool has over 4,650 employees worldwide, of which most work in the production sites in Koningshooikt and Bree (Belgium) and in Skopje (Macedonia).

For more information please contact:

Dirk Snauwaert, Public Relations Manager at Van Hool, Bernard Van Hoolstraat 58, 2500 Lier (Koningshooikt), Belgium.

Tel: +32 (0)3 420 22 12; Mobile phone: +32 (0)499 555 032;

E-mail: dirk.snauwaert@vanhool.be
Van Hool website: www.vanhool.be