As the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris approach, Toyota has teamed up with GCK and B.E. Green to provide sustainable, emission-free transportation for the events. Ten used Iveco diesel coaches will be retrofitted with Toyota’s fuel cell technology to serve more than 5,000 visitors during the Games. Once the events conclude, the hydrogen-fueled coaches will be integrated into the fleet of B.E. Green, a French company specializing in CO2-neutral transportation.
The retrofit involves replacing the conventional diesel engine and transmission at the front of the bus with a 370 kW electric motor, batteries, and Toyota’s fuel cell module TFCM2-B. The first coach equipped with this technology has already been unveiled.
Thiebault Paquet, Vice President of Toyota Motor Europe, Hydrogen Factory, highlighted the significance of the project: “The conversion of coaches into fuel cell electric vehicles is another important step towards achieving carbon neutrality in the transport sector. This cooperation perfectly illustrates how hydrogen applications benefit all business stakeholders and become long-term solutions. All ten fuel cell coaches will allow Toyota to transport guests during Paris 2024 with zero tailpipe emissions.”
The initiative exemplifies a broader trend toward sustainable solutions in the transportation sector and adds another layer to the multifaceted efforts to make the Paris 2024 Olympics a more environmentally responsible event. It also underlines the growing importance of hydrogen as a viable alternative fuel, not only for private vehicles but also for public and mass transportation.
