| Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed? Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 16:59, 27th February 2026 |     |
From the BBC:
Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed?
The world's first hydrogen double-decker bus fleet has reached the end of the road.
The multi-million pound project in Aberdeen - involving 25 buses - was meant to be the future of clean public transportation, with the city billed as the global hub for hydrogen-powered buses. But the zero emissions vehicles are now being ditched, along with the ambition that 700 jobs could be created.
The council announced on Thursday evening that it was to drop its hydrogen double-decker bus fleet in favour of electric vehicles following a meeting of its urgent business committee.
Aberdeen City Council and oil and gas giant BP became commercial partners in 2022 for Aberdeen's hydrogen ambitions.
After a number of technical problems, the hydrogen fleet has now fallen foul of the fast pace of progress in electric vehicle technology. The hydrogen buses have been out action since September 2024, due to problems with fuelling stations at Kittybrewster and Cove.
The council said it had been engaged in "ongoing discussions" with BP about the future viability of the city as a hydrogen hub, prompted by significant advancements in electric vehicle technology.
Hydrogen buses have been left parked up in Aberdeen
"As manufacturers and operators increasingly favour EVs, demand for hydrogen in transport has diminished," a statement said. "In light of these developments, both parties are reassessing their strategic direction to align with the evolving market landscape."
The council will now negotiate the transfer of the joint venture from BP and move towards a full transition towards electric vehicles.
The council has been asked about the total cost of the project, which is understood to have run to tens of millions of pounds.
BP said it would work closely around the "next steps" with the council.
Bus operator First Bus said it remained in discussion about the future options of the fleet.
The writing has been on the wall for hydrogen buses for years, as more and more cities opted for the battery alternative.
In 2021, First Bus in Glasgow confirmed that it was investing in a fleet of 120 single and double-decker buses which could be charged very quickly overnight before spending 18 hours on the road. More recently, the electric inter-city bus operator Ember has seen its fleet between all of Scotland's major conurbations grow to 98 vehicles.
Battery capacity and efficiency has come on enormously, meaning electric buses can be charged at incredible speeds and cover very long distances. They cost more than the diesel equivalent, but running costs are very low, meaning operators are saving millions from the moment the vehicles hit the bus lanes.
Hydrogen, by contrast, is expensive to produce. It takes a huge amount of green electricity to create the fuel using a process called electrolysis. And while it has the advantage that the bus can be refuelled in a matter of minutes rather than hours, that premium is now perceived as not worth paying.
The world's first hydrogen double-decker bus fleet has reached the end of the road.
The multi-million pound project in Aberdeen - involving 25 buses - was meant to be the future of clean public transportation, with the city billed as the global hub for hydrogen-powered buses. But the zero emissions vehicles are now being ditched, along with the ambition that 700 jobs could be created.
The council announced on Thursday evening that it was to drop its hydrogen double-decker bus fleet in favour of electric vehicles following a meeting of its urgent business committee.
Aberdeen City Council and oil and gas giant BP became commercial partners in 2022 for Aberdeen's hydrogen ambitions.
After a number of technical problems, the hydrogen fleet has now fallen foul of the fast pace of progress in electric vehicle technology. The hydrogen buses have been out action since September 2024, due to problems with fuelling stations at Kittybrewster and Cove.
The council said it had been engaged in "ongoing discussions" with BP about the future viability of the city as a hydrogen hub, prompted by significant advancements in electric vehicle technology.
Hydrogen buses have been left parked up in Aberdeen
"As manufacturers and operators increasingly favour EVs, demand for hydrogen in transport has diminished," a statement said. "In light of these developments, both parties are reassessing their strategic direction to align with the evolving market landscape."
The council will now negotiate the transfer of the joint venture from BP and move towards a full transition towards electric vehicles.
The council has been asked about the total cost of the project, which is understood to have run to tens of millions of pounds.
BP said it would work closely around the "next steps" with the council.
Bus operator First Bus said it remained in discussion about the future options of the fleet.
The writing has been on the wall for hydrogen buses for years, as more and more cities opted for the battery alternative.
In 2021, First Bus in Glasgow confirmed that it was investing in a fleet of 120 single and double-decker buses which could be charged very quickly overnight before spending 18 hours on the road. More recently, the electric inter-city bus operator Ember has seen its fleet between all of Scotland's major conurbations grow to 98 vehicles.
Battery capacity and efficiency has come on enormously, meaning electric buses can be charged at incredible speeds and cover very long distances. They cost more than the diesel equivalent, but running costs are very low, meaning operators are saving millions from the moment the vehicles hit the bus lanes.
Hydrogen, by contrast, is expensive to produce. It takes a huge amount of green electricity to create the fuel using a process called electrolysis. And while it has the advantage that the bus can be refuelled in a matter of minutes rather than hours, that premium is now perceived as not worth paying.
| Re: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed? Posted by ray951 at 20:02, 28th February 2026 | |
I believe the same thing has happened to a fleet of hydrogen buses in Liverpool in that they have been converted to battery electric.
Although it does look like the hydrogen fleet in Surrey are still working.
| Re: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed? Posted by Red Squirrel at 12:30, 1st March 2026 | |
I think the answer to the question 'Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed?' is probably more obvious to scientists and engineers than it is to politicians: 'Because it was powered by hydrogen'.
| Re: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed? Posted by broadgage at 18:44, 2nd March 2026 | |
Batteries for powering electric vehicles have improved greatly in recent years, but hydrogen still suffers from the same drawbacks.
At room temperature and pressure hydrogen is exceedingly bulky. Vehicles were powered by town gas (which is largely hydrogen) during the last war to save oil. The gas bag was very bulky and needed frequent filling.
Bulk may be reduced by liquefaction, this needs costly and complicated plant which consumes appreciable energy. The liquid hydrogen, if not used boils away.
Alternatively compressed hydrogen may be used, also expensive and the high pressure tank is rather a risk.
Fuelling a hydrogen vehicle requires specially trained staff, unlike electric power which simply needs an industrial plug and socket, or diesel fuel which needs only hose and pump.
| Re: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed? Posted by Red Squirrel at 23:25, 2nd March 2026 | |
To be fair, hydrogen is fine as a fuel - as long as you remember to hook it up with a few carbon molecules...
| Re: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed? Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 01:21, 3rd March 2026 | |
On the other hand, things can go somewhat awry when too much hydrogen is combined with carbon: from Wikipedia.
| Re: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed? Posted by Oxonhutch at 09:35, 3rd March 2026 | |
To be fair, hydrogen is fine as a fuel - as long as you remember to hook it up with a few carbon molecules...
Indeed the energy density of hydrocarbons is their leading property - especially those liquid at room temperature and pressure.
Hydrogen's value though should not be as a fuel per se, but a chemical precursor to many varied chemical reactions and products. Industry produces this hydrogen every day for these essential processes but often in an inefficient and highly polluting way. This is where green or gold hydrogen (electrolysis or natural/geological H2) should be being used, not powering buses or trains.
| Re: Why has the world's first hydrogen double-decker fleet failed? Posted by Red Squirrel at 12:04, 3rd March 2026 | |
On the other hand, things can go somewhat awry when too much hydrogen is combined with carbon: from Wikipedia. 
Without wishing to appear picky, I suspect that the ruling reaction in this case was more like:
2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O
...so, stoiciometrically speaking, carbon won't have had much of a rôle. In reality it will have been much more messy than this as air is nearly 80% nitrogen; a lot of those hydrogen molecules will have given up hunting for oxygen to bond to and the reaction will have formed all manner of by-products, with NOx being among them.
The main carbon-bearing component of air is good old carbon dioxide, but this makes up only 0.03%. The skin of the airship (It's not a balloon ... It's an airship ... an airship ... d'you hear?) will no doubt have had organic materials in it, but it is still unlikely that many hydrocarbons were produced by the Hindenburg disaster.
