Strasbourg’s public transport operator, CTS (Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois), has recently announced a major framework agreement with Portuguese bus manufacturer, CaetanoBus. The deal, which is reportedly the largest of its kind ever signed with a single French bus company, will see the delivery of up to 60 hydrogen buses to the city over the next five years.
The H2.City Gold buses, which will feature the latest generation of Toyota’s fuel cell system, are set to be used for public transport in Strasbourg from 2024 onwards. The lightweight, standard low-floor buses have an aluminium body, and the new fuel cell system will offer 70 kW of power, combined with a 44 kWh LTO battery and a 180 kW peak power powertrain. CaetanoBus claims a range of over 500 kilometres for the vehicles.
CaetanoBus was awarded the contract following a demanding international tender process, and its Chief Commercial Officer, Nuno Lago de Carvalho, expressed his pleasure at participating in the expansion of hydrogen fleets in Europe to support decarbonisation goals. He went on to explain that hydrogen mobility is crucial for the decarbonisation of public transport and that the company is very committed to making this technology available to the city of Strasbourg and other French cities in the future.
See also: CaetanoBus Secures Order for 30 Electric Buses from Carris in Lisbon
From the manufacturer’s point of view, the French market for hydrogen buses has grown significantly in recent years. The H2.City Gold has already been in use at the RATP in La Roche-Sur-Yon since 2022, and the city of Les Sables d’Olonne will soon receive a bus duo. At the end of 2022, the FC model was also included in the catalogue of the ‘Centrale d’Achat du Transport Public’ (CATP), a central body for purchasing public transport.
CaetanoBus has also recently signed large H2 bus framework agreements with the German rail operator, Deutsche Bahn (up to 60 units), and with EMT Madrid (ten units). With the new French order from CTS, the company now boasts the largest order book for hydrogen-powered buses of any European bus manufacturer. While the exact timing of the delivery of the hydrogen buses to Strasbourg has not yet been announced, this new agreement marks an important milestone in the move towards sustainable public transport solutions.
