Safra to launch Hycity bus; EVARM develops hydrogen vehicle in Spain

Safra (a French manufacturer of hydrogen-powered buses) is about to launch a new hydrogen bus – Hycity, aimed at urban public transport to complement the range of carbon-neutral mobility solutions.

Driven by the environmental challenges of decarbonising public transport, Europe’s fleet of hydrogen intracity and inter-city buses is expected to grow substantially in the coming years.

Safra is France’s hydrogen bus leader with 17 registered vehicles as of the end of 2021, which is a 60% market share and is starting to expand the business into the hydrogen inter-city bus market through the retrofit of coaches.

The company won an order in July 2020, probably the biggest in Europe thus far, to retrofit 15 inter-city diesel coaches to hydrogen for the Occitania region.

As part of this plan, the company plans to extend by 6,000 m² its industrial site at Albi (currently 11,000 m²).

Catalan company EVARM develops green hydrogen vehicles in Spain

Catalan engineering EVARM has presented the first prototype vehicle powered by green hydrogen developed in Spain.

Specifically, the company has adapted the vehicle’s power line – the propulsion system, the engine, the hydrogen management system, among others – and has incorporated the hydrogen storage system.

Part of this vehicle will be made at the company’s facilities in Sant Boi de Llobregat, and other components will be sourced from other suppliers.

The engineering company began the R&D process in 2019. Their goal is to bring it to market in 2023 and scale it to industrial vehicles.

It has received €200,000 from Catalonia Trade & Investment for R&D.