Retrofit: Transdev converts first hydrogen-powered bus

Planned on the Évreux-Rouen line, Transdev’s retrofit project transforming an Iveco diesel bus to hydrogen will be a world first.

The ecological transition can bring a dilemma: should we switch to a cleaner energy that requires producing a new type of hydrogen bus, or keep the old until the end of its life? Transdev has blended both options through retrofit.

Retrofitting diesel to hydrogen, a first

Retrofit remains a niche phenomenon in France. It started with cars, modifying the original gasoline mechanics to electric or hydrogen systems. Companies like Phoenix Mobility, Transition One, or Méhari Club de France offer such conversions.

However, the heavy vehicle sector, including buses and coaches, is also interested. The French company Transdev launched the Nomad Car Hydrogen (NCH2) project, which it considers to be the “world’s first retrofit project converting a diesel-powered bus to hydrogen”.

The retrofit transformation involves dismantling the thermal system (engine, exhaust, tank, etc.) to replace it with a hydrogen-based system. The bus then hosts a hydrogen tank, a fuel cell, batteries, an electric motor, and an adapted transmission. According to Transdev, this results in savings of “50 tonnes of CO₂, 300 kg of NO_x, and 9 kg of ammonia annually”.

450 km range to serve Évreux-Rouen

Currently, only one vehicle is involved. The guinea pig is a more than 5-year-old Iveco Crossway diesel, which has been converted to hydrogen. The goal is to extend its “lifespan by 20 to 25 years, compared to an average of 14”, explains Transdev.

This hydrogen bus will be used on the Évreux-Rouen line of Nomad Car Express, which requires a range exceeding 380 kilometers per day. Conveniently, the retrofit version has 450 km per H₂ fill-up, while the best electric equivalent does not exceed 300 km.

If Transdev chose this line, it’s also due to the presence of an EAS HyMob hydrogen station in Le Vieil-Évreux. However, it should be noted that hydrogen is not yet green, but is planned for the long term, “produced from renewable energies”.

Commissioning in spring

The initial runs are currently without passengers, but the hydrogen retrofitted bus will enter service in spring 2022. A step-by-step follow-up is available on the official website.

Transdev is not alone; another project exists with Safra (manufacturer of the Businova bus). Their goal is to convert a fleet of 15 diesel coaches in the Occitanie region to hydrogen. The company Greenmot, based in Villefranche-sur-Saône (Rhône), also plans to market hydrogen retrofit kits by 2024, with an autonomy reaching 500 km.

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