Wrightbus Enters Hydrogen Fuel Technology Agreement with Volgren

The company entered a new fuel cell powertrain technology deal with the Australian vehicle company.

Wrightbus, a bus manufacturer from Ballymena, Ireland, has scored a deal with the Volgen bus builder from Australia through which it will be providing hydrogen fuel technology.

The company’s hope is that this will be only a first step into a broader number of contracts in Australia.

The two companies have partnered to make it possible to add the hydrogen fuel technology to the manufacturing of two single-deck zero-emission buses. This new deal with Volgren is the first contract Wrightbus has signed in Australia. The local company’s buses will use the H2 powertrain tech.

The government of the United Kingdom has applauded the deal, calling it an example of the type of opportunity now available through a recently signed trade agreement between the two countries. The Department for International Trade underscored that it played a role in establishing the agreement.

The heads of Wrightbus hope that this will only be the company’s start in Australia. Cities and states throughout that country are seeking to use zero-emission vehicles to replace thousands of buses across the next decade.

The hydrogen fuel technology powertrains are the same Wrightbus uses for its StreetDeck Hydroliner.

The StreetDeck Hydroliner double-deck buses and the Wrightbus GB Kite Hydroliner single-deck buses both use the same H2 powertrains that will be built into the Volgren buses. The Wrightbus-Volgren vehicles are slated to be ready for an early 2023 trial.

“Like us, Volgren is always on the cutting edge of new and emerging technology to drive the industry forwards.,” said Buta Atwal, Wrightbus CEO. “There are some fantastic parallels between the two companies and we’re looking forward to a long and successful working relationship.”

Atwal went on to discuss the hydrogen fuel technology deal between Wrightbus and Volgen by saying that, “This is the first time we’ve exported our powertrain technology to a bus body manufacturer, the first time we’ve entered the Australian market as a business, and the hydrogen buses will be the first of their kind to be built in Australia, so this is a significant deal for everyone involved.”

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