Hexagon Purus selected for contracts in global hydrogen bus market

Hexagon Purus (Ålesund, Norway) has received orders to supply its Type IV high-pressure hydrogen storage cylinders for fuel cell transit buses in Europe and North America. 

An inaugural order from a Polish bus OEM, to be supplied from Hexagon’s Kassel, Germany facility, will be used in the serial production of fuel cell transit buses, accelerating their introduction to the European market. The order’s value is approximately €930,000 (NOK 9.3 million) and is scheduled to be delivered Q2 to Q4, 2022.

“The order is testament to our technology and confirms our strong position with European bus OEMs as supplier of high-pressure hydrogen fuel systems,” says Michael Kleschinski, executive vice president of Hexagon Purus. “We see an increasing demand for fuel-cell transit buses in Europe and we are thrilled to support this rollout.”

Hexagon Purus has also been selected as a partner for the second year in a row by what is said to be North America’s largest mass mobility solutions provider, New Flyer of America Inc. and New Flyer Canada ULC (collectively New Flyer, Winnipeg, Canada). Hexagon Purus will supply high-pressure hydrogen storage cylinders for New Flyer’s zero-emission Xcelsior Charge H2 hydrogen fuel cell electric transit buses in 2022, enabling a driving range of up to 350 miles/560 kilometers on a single refueling. Total contract value is approximately $2 million (approximately NOK 18 million).

New Flyer is playing an active leadership role in zero-emission transportation in North America, putting sustainable buses and infrastructure in place in cities across the U.S. and Canada. In 2021 alone, Hexagon Purus delivered hydrogen cylinders/systems for nearly 30 New Flyer fuel cell buses. Hexagon Purus and New Flyer have been working together since 2015. 

“With over 50 years of experience manufacturing zero-emission transit buses, our Xcelsior Charge H2 bus is a game changer for North American operators. Not only does it reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it also delivers extended range, fast fill times and no reduction in performance from beginning to end of life,” concedes Ben Wood, vice president supply management at New Flyer. “Hexagon Purus is helping us in our efforts to transition North American mobility toward a more sustainable future.”

Hexagon Purus’ hydrogen cylinders are part of a global product line of hydrogen cylinders for the medium- and heavy-duty fuel cell vehicle market. Certified for use in North America and Europe, the cylinders store hydrogen at 350 bar and are specifically designed for use by fuel cell buses. The cylinders are manufactured at Hexagon Purus’ North American production facility in Maryland.