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• Bus operators order Wrightbus Kite Hydroliner hydrogen-powered solo city buses with VEDS;
• Voith to supply around 150 VEDS for buses in Germany by end of 2025;
• Almost nine percent of the CVD-compliant buses in Germany have alternative drivetrain.
Almost six percent of the around 54,000 buses in Germany registered by 2023 currently meet this provision. Alongside battery-electric solutions, German bus operators are also opting for fuel cells. British bus manufacturer Wrightbus alone is set to supply hydrogen fuel cell buses equipped with the Voith electrical drive system (VEDS) to the cities of Cologne, Saarbrücken and Cottbus and for WestVerkehr in Geilenkirchen.
The Kite Hydroliner solo city bus can carry up to 90 passengers. Northern Irish bus manufacturer Wrightbus (wrightbus.com) offers this bus with either a 70- or 100-kW fuel cell module. Bus operators can also choose whether they want the buses to have four cylinders with 32 kg hydrogen, five cylinders with 40 kg hydrogen or seven cylinders with 50 kg hydrogen. When it comes to the drive system, however, Wrightbus relies exclusively on the VEDS from Voith.
Voith has already supplied more than 1,000 of its efficient drive system to British bus manufacturers Alexander Dennis and Wrightbus alone. In Europe, the UK is the current frontrunner when it comes to new registrations of electric buses. Voith’s extensive experience, plus the customers` desire to quickly incorporate zero-emission buses into their own fleets to meet the Clean Vehicle Directive, are some of the reasons that prompted the bus operators in Cologne (Regionalverkehr Köln), Saarbrücken (Saarbahn), Cottbus (Cottbusverkehr) and Geilenkirchen (WestVerkehr) to opt for the VEDS from Voith in buses from Northern Irish manufacturer Wrightbus.
In 2024, for example, 31 Kite Hydroliners were delivered to the bus operator in Cologne. In Saarbrücken, 28 hydrogen fuel cell powered buses of the same type are set to go into service by the end of 2025. In Cottbus, the operating company is considering as many as 46 Kite Hydroliners, while in Geilenkirchen, 12 Kite Hydroliners will take to the roads.
“We are delighted by the growing number of electric city buses featuring our VEDS,” says Helmut Zimmermann, who is responsible for the German-speaking markets at Voith. By the end of 2025, a total of around 150 VEDS will be supplied for installation in city buses for the German market.
About the Voith Group
The Voith Group (voith.com) is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has around 22,000 employees, sales of € 5.5 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.
About Voith Turbo
The Group Division Voith Turbo is part of the Voith Group and a specialist for intelligent drive technology, systems as well as tailor-made services. With its innovative and smart products, Voith offers highest efficiency and reliability. Customers from highly diverse industries such as oil and gas, energy, mining and mechanical engineering, ship technology, rail and commercial vehicles rely on the advanced technologies and digital applications of Voith.
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