The Ostrava transport company is backing away from hydrogen propulsion. Priority is given to electric buses – VTM.cz

The Ostrava Transport Company (DPO) had big plans for hydrogen buses back in October of last year. In a press release from October last year, CEO Daniel Morys stated that the company wants to “to combine the development of electric buses with trolleybuses, possibly with hydrogen buses.” However, at the turn of February and March of this year, the tide turned.

Currently, DPO provides public transport in the third most populous city of our republic with 291 buses, 259 trams and 70 trolleybuses. However, according to a press release issued on February 29 of this year, passengers will not see hydrogen buses. A transport company postpones the Hydrogen Mobility project and cancels the tender for hydrogen buses and the construction of the filling station.

Ostrava said goodbye to hydrogen

Daniel Morys stated that, with regard to the development in the last two years since the tenders were announced, he currently feels, from the point of view of the care of a proper householder, that there is a need to give this technology more space for both financial and technical reasons.

He currently perceives electromobility as the most suitable solution. In addition to trams on 16 day and 2 night lines and trolleybuses, which in Ostrava operate on 9 day and 3 night lines, they will participate in it buses with electric drive. Their batteries will primarily be charged overnight and they will be able to travel up to 350 kilometers on a single charge.

DPO currently has 32 electric buses at its disposal, 26 of which are equipped with a continuous charging system. These buses are capable of recharging energy not only during night shutdowns, but also with the help of fast-charging arms located in the city center on Valchařská street, Svinov and Hranečník streets.

Electric buses with fast charging

Fast charging takes between six and ten minutes, after which the bus is able to complete another trip on its route. In July of last year, a charging station for up to eighteen electric buses was put into operation in the premises on Vítkovická Street. Thanks to the constantly developing infrastructure, every tenth bus can be powered by electricity.

Charging station for 18 electric buses

As part of the Bez diesel strategy, 227 buses run on compressed natural gas (CNG) drive around Ostrava. The latter is considered a more ecological alternative to buses with diesel engines, as it produces fewer emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. DPO also has 35 buses with diesel engines, but these are currently used only as a backup.

As far as hydrogen-powered vehicles are concerned, the Ostrava transport company has not yet completely given up on them – it is still interested in hydrogen mobility and intends to devote itself to it. Postponing hydrogen buses may be the right decision, as over time one can expect a discount on the filling system, as well as the vehicles themselves.