The preferred tenderer, Foton Mobility Distribution, will supply the three HFCEV buses to Metro Tasmania next year and run the trial in Hobart for three years. The trial will operate in tandem with a two-year battery-electric bus trial centred in Launceston.

The Tasmanian Government said that the transport sector is a significant contributor to the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and by funding these trials, it aims to learn how it can reduce overall vehicle emissions and meet its 2030 target.                                                                       

Tasmania is regarded as one of the few places in the world to already be 100 per cent self-sufficient in renewable electricity via sources including hydro.

The Tasmanian Government said it can use this advantage to produce ‘green’ hydrogen for use across Industry, including heavy transport.

Foton Mobility Distribution (FMD) CEO Neil Wang said in a statement that his company brings more than 12 years of experience with hydrogen as a vehicle fuel.

He said that this includes all the technical and operational data that is supported by safety and skills training in the safe operation and maintenance of the vehicles. 

“The FMD team look forward to working closely with Metro Tasmania to ensure the trial is a success, leading to the advancement of hydrogen e-mobility as a significant alternative to achieve CO2 reductions,” Mr Wang said.

In August last year, FMD imported the first of its hydrogen buses.

Made by Foton, the two buses have a fuel-cell system developed by SinoHytec and Toyota.

Mr Wang said at that time that the buses “were in their infancy in the country but have great potential.”

“Given our vast land and need for immediate carbon emission reduction in the transport area, hydrogen fuel cell buses are an important part of the mass transport landscape,” he said.

“Our bus operator clients are ready to make the leap to hydrogen and have scope to include them in their fleet. Transit Systems is the first client to take on the zero-emissions challenge in battery-electric buses – and now in hydrogen city buses.”

The two buses are an addition to the growing fleet of sustainable transport operated by Transit Systems, which currently includes 60 electric buses. 

Transit Systems is part of Kelsian Group, Australia’s biggest integrated multi-modal transport provider and tourism operator, with established urban bus operations in Singapore and London.

“We now have operating data from over 13-million kilometres of run time, providing clients like Transit Systems, and their network partners, with the confidence that they are operating proven technology, and proven reliability,” Mr Wang said.

Kelsian Group CEO Clint Feuerherdt told Manufacturers’ Monthly magazine that the new hydrogen fuel cell buses reflected his company’s continued investment into research and development and being ready to deploy proven solutions.

“We have the greenest bus fleet in the country and we are proud to once again raise the bar and offer our government partners the opportunity to set a new sustainability benchmark in Australian public transport,” he said.

FMD is the exclusive Australian distributor for Foton Motors ‘new-energy’ vehicles and Asiastar ‘new-energy’ commercial vehicles.

It supplies commercial vehicles including battery-electric buses, trucks and vans, and hydrogen fuel-cell buses and trucks.

By Neil Dowling