Symone: The hydrogen bus that transports your vehicle
This page is translated from the original post "Symone : le bus à hydrogène qui transporte votre véhicule" in French.
- 09/03/2022 18:26
With 18 people, cars, and motorcycles aboard, the Symone bus offers an unprecedented transportation experience powered by green hydrogen.
Crossing France is possible by train or car. But also by bus, a mode coming back to the forefront, through companies like Flixbus, and with innovative initiatives like Symone.
On the Symone bus!
The Dijon-based startup Symone envisions a bus transporting cars and motorcycles with their passengers. Alongside the train service, this solution allows travelers to keep their personal vehicle upon arrival. And what about the Autotrain? It disappeared in 2019, SNCF deemed it not profitable.
The Symone bus, with its four axles, can carry 5 cars and one motorcycle, or 4 cars and 5 motorcycles. The cars are placed on the roof, while the motorcycles go at the rear. Even electric cars can recharge onboard.
In total, 18 passengers can sit comfortably, working or watching a movie on the screens via Wi-Fi. The bus will also have restrooms and catering options, according to the company.
A bus with green hydrogen
Who is this aimed at? People wishing to connect two distant locations without leaving their personal vehicle behind, couples going on vacation with their motorcycles without making the long highway trip. It’s also about the comfort of combining train and road.
To respect environmental concerns, the Symone bus runs on hydrogen. Powering a fuel cell, the gas will be green, claims the startup, produced by electrolysis using renewable electricity. Who will produce this bus? Still a mystery.
The first Symone trips will take place in 2023, with no specific dates yet. Routes are to be announced, but it is known that the bus will drop passengers at the “closest tolls” to their destination.
An initial experience with motorcycles
Before launching the hydrogen bus, Symone will field a motorcycle transport shuttle.
This shuttle service will run from May to September 2022. The concept involves a van and a trailer capable of carrying 5 motorcycles. The cost varies depending on the routes, from Paris, Lyon, Aix-Marseille, and Montpellier. But Symone guarantees it will be half the price of a motorcycle trip, saving on fuel, tolls, and vehicle wear and tear.
Read also: Ouigo Classic Train: Ticket Launch for Paris, Lyon, and Nantes
We also suggestthese articles:
Also read
