Wrightbus is expanding rapidly on the back of strong demand for battery-electric buses, while hydrogen remains a smaller but strategic part of its portfolio, CEO Jean-Marc Gales told Electrive. Electric models make up the vast majority of sales, reflecting market momentum and funding conditions across Europe.
“Out of nearly 1,200 buses we will sell this year, hydrogen units account for around 80,” Gales said, noting that diesel is at a similar level while electric models represent about 85% of output. Since 2022, the company has delivered around 300 hydrogen buses, but orders slowed in Germany when subsidies were paused. “Now that funding is available again, and I believe by 2027 we will again sell hydrogen buses in Germany,” he added.
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Despite weaker short-term demand, hydrogen development continues. Wrightbus is investing £5 million in a hydrogen-powered coach with a range of up to 1,000 kilometres, aimed at long-distance routes where charging downtime is impractical. “Coaches run 24/7. You cannot stop them for hours to charge,” Gales said.
Battery-electric models remain the company’s primary growth driver. Wrightbus is sold out through the third quarter of 2025 for electric and diesel buses, powered largely by demand for new single- and double-deckers using CATL battery packs. “Our buses are the most efficient on the market, in kilowatt hours per kilometre,” Gales said.
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The company is also expanding its repowering business through its NewPower division, converting mid-life diesel buses into electric models at less than half the cost of a new vehicle. “It costs less than half of a new electric bus, but customers get a 10-year warranty,” Gales said.
Gales describes Wrightbus’ strategy as technology-open and grounded in market realities. “Electricity has won the short-term battle, but we will remain technology-open,” he said. “We are the only OEM offering new electric, new hydrogen, and new diesel buses, as well as repowering them.”