HERO - Hydrogen retrofit

Public transport operators across Europe are currently rushing to decarbonise their fleets to meet the 2030 targets. While the manufacturers’ market offers many zero- emission technology options for the most common bus typologies. However, for city minibuses, there are restricted solutions due to the need to operate for 18 hours without possibility of refuelling. Currently, there are solutions with insufficient battery capacity for these 18 hours, or hydrogen solutions in extended range mode with which the operator suffers the difficulties of electric vehicles (high weight and need for daily electric charging).

This project will work to transform a minibus vehicle from the Barcelona Metropolitan Transport bus fleet, specifically a Mercedes Sprinter Diesel, into a fuel cell vehicle with a purely electric traction engine and small intermediate batteries that will equalise the engine’s power needs.  The final retrofit kit will be directly exportable to any medium-sized hydrogen-powered vehicle (minibuses, delivery vehicles, auxiliary vehicles, etc.) either as a converted vehicle or as a new vehicle and will have zero emissions of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and carbon dioxide.