The development and widespread adoption of sustainable transport technologies will be essential in addressing the threat of diminishing fossil fuel supplies and reducing the transport sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. Renewably produced hydrogen has the potential to be part of a sustainable fuel mix in the medium to long term.

Information collected during the trial has, through participation in international partnerships, assisted bus and fuel cell engine manufacturers to further develop fuel cell technology. Fuel cell bus suppliers are now considering several improvements for the next generation of hydrogen fuel cell buses, higher pressure hydrogen storage (increased from 350bar to 700 bar), wheel hub motors, electrically powered auxiliary systems, fewer fuel cells with greater power density and hybridised drive trains. These improvements offer significant efficiency gains over the fuel cell buses used in Western Australia’s trial.

All participants agreed that throughout the course of the Perth trial, the EcoBuses performed beyond expectations and the project successfully demonstrated that hydrogen is indeed a technically viable fuel and fuel cell technology is a potential option for future public transport. The international trials program has delivered the most extensive set of operational data for fuel cell vehicles and refuelling infrastructure – operated under real world conditions – compiled to-date. This has enabled on road performance and reliability comparisons between current generation fuel cell buses and conventional internal combustion engine buses. These comparisons have shown where technical improvements are needed for hydrogen bus technologies and hydrogen production to become cost competitive in terms of capital and operating costs.