Safra shows off its hydrogen coach at UITP Summit 2023

Safra shows off its hydrogen coach at UITP Summit 2023

June 12, 2023 0 By Bert Watson

The coach has been equipped with an H2-PACK kit.

Safra, a French company that specializes in the renovation of passenger transport equipment and a pioneer in hydrogen mobility, presented a hydrogen coach at the recent UITP Summit that took place in Barcelona last week. The hydrogen retrofitted coach features the company’s H2-PACK kit, which has been designed to convert a combustion-powered intercity coach into a zero-emission vehicle.

The H2-PACK retrofit kit is fully designed and assembled by Safra.

The retrofit kit allows the vehicle’s diesel engine to be transformed into a zero-emission hydrogen-electric powertrain. The original diesel engine is replaced by a 350 kW Dana electric motor that receives power from a 100 kW (70 kW useful) Plastic Omnium fuel cell.

According to Safra, the H2 used by the hydrogen coach is stored in six tanks, which have been integrated into an area of the vehicle that is separated from the passengers by a watertight, ventilated and secure partition. The tanks allow for 35 kg of hydrogen to be carried on board, delivering a maximum range of 500 km.

The hydrogen coach presented at the event belongs to the Occitanie Region.

This is France’s second-largest region by surface area, and it has commissioned Safra with retrofitting 15 of its intercity coaches.

Hydrogen Coach H2-PACK - D-1 to the opening of the UITP Global Public Transport Summit -1685905875217 - Image Credit - Safra

Hydrogen Coach H2-PACK – D-1 to the opening of the UITP Global Public Transport Summit – Image Credit: Safra

The H2-PACK retrofit offers a number of advantages, but most notably offers economical and ecological benefits. For instance, the cost of converting an existing bus or coach into a zero-emission vehicle is much cheaper than buying a brand new vehicle. Additionally, certain on-board components can remain without needing to be reinstalled, such as ticketing equipment, also saving on cost.

As for being eco-friendly, the retrofit extends the life of the vehicle, postponing the need for a replacement by several years. Finally, as a hydrogen coach, the same vehicle is able to circulate in LEZ (Low Emissions Zones), which was not possible before.

Safra Hycity.

hydrogen news ebookBeyond its H2-Pack Retrofit kit, Safra has also manufactured a full-hydrogen bus called the Hycity. So far, about twenty vehicles have been ordered, and the company is continuing to expand its facilities to ramp up production and meet the growing demand from customers eager to establish hydrogen ecosystems.

Like the hydrogen coach it retrofitted for the Occitaine Region, Safra will present its Hycity zero-emission bus at an industry event. This time around, their H2 bus will debut this October at the Busworld trade show in Brussels.

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CategoryPublic Transportation Hydrogen Events Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hydrogen news International
TagsH2 coach H2-PACK hydogen ecosystems Occitaine Region Plastic Omnium fuel cell Safra zero emission buses zero emission vehicles

About The Author

Bert Watson, the president of Watson & Company, founded the company after eight years as a Congressional staff in Washington, D.C. His experience in assisting businesses with federal issues, international concerns, bureaucratic red tape and communications has helped him hone his business interaction and advocacy skills. His capabilities include providing strategic direction to achieve political participation, constituency awareness and agency sponsorship. While serving on active duty in the Navy, Bert was transferred to San Diego. His experience with the military’s infrastructure, service as a congressional aide, and decades as a government relations consultant have provided him with the relevant knowledge to enable successful positioning, and communication, of issues. Knowing how to get answers to questions, how to expand "interpretive latitude" to address issues are the hallmarks of his experience. He has worked on many and various endeavors such as guiding regional input regarding reforming the Federal Drug Administration; promoting the nationally televised experiment on a Space Shuttle; successfully managed numerous DOD funding requests for technology enhancement, and; worked with various military initiatives, technology programs and more recently, international energy initiatives. Bert has initiated at least two non-profits, supports animals, is pretty competent in the kitchen and enjoys historic biographies (still working through “Hamilton”) and is married to a former Ukrainian diplomat.

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