Bus Maker to Use Toyota Fuel-Cell Technology

A major public bus manufacturer in Portugal will use Toyota hydrogen-fuel-cell technology.

The automaker has agreed to apply its fuel-cell powertrain to buses run by Caetanobus SA as part of its strategy for a “decarbonized society” set out in the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 promoting hydrogen technology in a wider range of vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks, delivery vans, forklifts and buses.

Toyota will supply its fuel-cell systems, including fuel-cell stacks, hydrogen tanks and other key components to the Portuguese bus engineering and production company. The first zero-emission fuel-cell city buses are due to roll off Caetanobus’s production line in a little over a year’s time and will be used by the company as demonstration vehicles.

“We’re really excited at the prospect of seeing the first buses from our long-standing automotive partner on Europe’s city streets,” Johan van Zyl, president and CEO-Toyota Motor Europe, says in a news release. “Hydrogen buses have significant advantages compared to other zero-emission buses, such as a superior driving range and shorter refueling time. These benefits allow them to operate on longer routes and enjoy higher utilization.”

The announcement was made in Lisbon in the presence of Portuguese government representatives for mobility and the environment.