Comments on: Fuel Cell Bus Fleets for Brazil & Europe; Fuel Cell Buses in British Columbia Hit Milestone

By: Roland Mösl

Roland Mösl — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:34:00 +0000

Typical city lines have 170 to 230 km a day. The range of the BYD K9 is big enogh to handle this with one charge at night time. For longer daily distances, quick charging during the day can enlarge the range.
6000 charge cycles are enough for the normal 12 yeard usage of an public bus.

The hydrogen bus needs 6 times more for the same task, this is a total waste of energy.

By: Alec

Alec — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:05:00 +0000

You may be correct, but are the busses and the drive cycle comparable? I’m not a big fan of hydrogen, the energy density is just too low, but you also have to consider battery efficiency, life, etc, I suppose the whole life cycle cost given the same energy source.

By: Roland Mösl

Roland Mösl — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:34:00 +0000

What an extreme waste of energy compared to battery busses.
220.000 kg hydrogen for 1,6 million km means 13,75 kg for 100 km.

1 kg hydrogen is 33 kWh. But to make one kg hydrogen by electric power and to put it in the tank, about 45 kWh electric power required.

This means 619 kWh electric power for 100 km compared to
only 100 kWh, the BYD k9 all electric bus (12m long) needs.