Wrightbus completes delivery of hydrogen buses in Cologne, Germany (with plans to grow in Europe)

UK bus maker Wrightbus announces it has completed delivery of 31 fuel cell buses for the German operator Regionalverkehr Köln Gmbh (RVK). They are the first ever Wrightbus vehicles on European soil: testing is underway before the fleet goes into service across the Cologne region.

 In May 2022 Wrightbus secured an order from RVK Cologne for 20 fixed and 40 optional hydrogen buses.

Wrightbus wants to expand in Europe

The manufacturer has also announced plans for further expansion into Europe, as it has landed further hydrogen bus deals in Saarbahn, Vestische, Cottbus (where 46 buses will be headed) and West Verkehr. The OEM announced plan to open a new European service centre in Bruhl, Wrightbus is also hiring staff to supply buses to France and Benelux.

In October, Wrightbus also signed a deal worth up to half-a-billion pounds to supply more than 1,000 buses to operator Go-Ahead over the next three years – 90 per cent of which will be zero-emission.

Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales stated: “This was by far and away the most technical operation we have faced – these were our first buses for Europe after all – and it was important for everything to be absolutely right before we signed them off. As well as the buses we are also delighted to open our European service centre in Bruhl, enabling our team of experts to service and maintain buses of all types right in the heart of Europe, and we’re hiring across the continent to get more buses into operation.”