Central city to operate 100 hydrogen fuel cell city buses by 2025

By Kim Joo-heon Posted : November 8, 2021, 15:33 Updated : November 8, 2021, 16:23

[Gettyimages Bank]

SEOUL -- In an effort to go green and achieve carbon neutrality, the central city of Daejeon will operate 100 hydrogen fuel cell city buses by 2025. The city will replace some 20 internal combustion engine buses every year and increase the number of hydrogen charging stations.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles use fuel cells that produce heat, electricity and water through a thermochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Due to their eco-friendly characteristics, fuel cells are considered the next-generation renewable power source. However, the lack of hydrogen charging stations has hampered the distribution of fuel cell vehicles. Vancouver, the southwestern port city of Canada, brought in a fleet of hydrogen buses in 2010, but service came to a halt five years later because of the lack of charging stations and high operating costs.

Two hydrogen fuel cell city buses started their operation on two city bus routes that cover single one-way trips of about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) on November 8 in Daejeon some 160 kilometers south of Seoul. According to the city government, 10 more hydrogen buses will be operated by the end of November. 

Daejeon has five hydrogen charging stations and five more will be installed by 2025. Two chargers can supply 60 kilograms of hydrogen per hour, allowing them to charge 40 buses and 240 passenger cars a day, and Daejeon will open charging stations all year round from 4 a.m. (1900 GMT) to midnight every day. "Now is the time when we should push to adopt green energy and industry-related policies to avoid the grave threat to mankind caused by climate changes," Daejeon Mayor Huh Tae-jung was quoted as saying.
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