London’s City Hall was the venue for the launch on 30 November 2016 of the new Wrightbus – zero-emission double deck bus.  The zero-emission vehicle debuts a new hydrogen fuel cell driveline from Wrightbus which will rapidly become available to power both single deck and double deck buses as it becomes fully production ready next year.

The new technology from the Northern Ireland company provides a zero-emission drive system which encompasses a hydrogen fuel cell and a battery pack to power the vehicle. The combination of these two technologies makes the continuous daily operation of the public transport vehicle feasible.

Offering a reliable system with no emissions, all Wrightbus hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will feature an electric drive axle packaged to allow a full flat floor throughout the bus, a zero-emission heating/cooling system, the ability for overnight charging if the operator desires, and remote diagnostics. Key to the success of this concept are the lightweight hydrogen storage tanks, and the automatic battery management system which continuously monitors and balances the stored power while the vehicle is in service.

Dr William Wright CBE, Co-Founder & Director of Wrights Group, said: “Wrightbus is a company where innovation and technology is at the core of everything we do, and we have led the way in the practical development of clean vehicle technology in buses over many years. This vehicle joins the recently launched StreetAir EV and brings an interesting new dimension to zero-emission bus technology offering transport operators a responsible choice to help address the world’s environmental challenges.”

Adding to Dr Wrights sentiment’s, Wrights Group Chairman and CEO Mark Nodder OBE, said: “This exciting new zero-emissions driveline technology, developed with support from our partner Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), is the pinnacle of our on-going work to deliver highly innovative buses with the best possible fuel consumption and environmental credentials that are supported throughout a long and productive operational life.”

The project has been part funded by the APC under a grant for common platforms and assembly methods for Ultra Low Emission Buses.