The start of the drive change at rebus Regionalbus Rostock GmbH (rebus) in the Rostock district has been successful, the municipal transport company has received an initial positive response. By the end of last year, all 52 hydrogen buses ordered had been delivered on schedule. Up to 25 hydrogen buses are already on the road in the old Güstrow district on weekdays. With the completion of the second filling station in Bad Doberan at the beginning of March, all 52 vehicles will then be used in scheduled services throughout the Rostock district.
The project was funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) with a total of 17.71 million euros as part of the “Guideline for the Promotion of Alternative Drives for Buses in Passenger Transport”. The Rostock district is contributing 7.8 million euros to the vehicle costs of the project. The total investment amounts to around 40 million euros.
Challenge: 52 new buses instead of just 10 to 12
The switch to the new technology was an enormous challenge for the entire rebus team. In addition, rebus has so far only put a maximum of ten to twelve new buses into operation at once. The arrival of 52 hydrogen buses within a short period of time at the end of the year represented an exceptionally high level of effort from a logistical, personnel and technical point of view. “Our team did a great job! The switch to the hydrogen bus fleet meant an enormous additional burden, but together we mastered it successfully,” emphasized rebus authorized officer Marc Weinhauer. “All vehicles had to be prepared for regular service, from the workshop equipment to coordination with the operations control system and test drives to ensure functionality.” The supply of green hydrogen by H2APEX from Rostock-Laage for refueling in Güstrow is also running at full speed, ensuring sustainable public transport in the Rostock district.
Positive response from passengers and drivers
The initial feedback from passengers and drivers is consistently positive. The quiet, climate-friendly buses are highly valued – so much so that some passengers are even disappointed when there is no hydrogen bus on their route. The potential of the new technology is also evident in practice: the range of the buses exceeds expectations and is up to 500 kilometers per refueling in rural regional transport.
A second hydrogen filling station at the rebus depot in Bad Doberan is scheduled to go into operation in March 2025. Then all 52 blue hydrogen buses will be on the road throughout the Rostock district.
Photo of rebus Regionalbus Rostock
Press release https://tinyurl.com/2kdmwzvr
