French manufacturer SAFRA will deliver 10 HYCITY® hydrogen buses to KEOLIS for service on bus lines 35 and 36 in Clermont-Ferrand.
This acquisition is part of Clermont Auvergne Métropole and Syndicat Mixte des Transports en Commun de l’Agglomération Clermontoise’s (SMTC-AC) global InspiRe energy transition project, with KEOLIS as prime contractor. The InspiRe project involves the development of a unique and innovative ecosystem dedicated to hydrogen, from the production of 100% carbon-free energy (Gravanches station), to the fuelling of the vehicle fleet (Cournon-d’Auvergne compression and distribution station), as well as the commissioning of 10 new buses and 4 retrofitted coaches.
The 10 new HYCITY® buses, the latest generation from SAFRA, will be delivered to KEOLIS in mid-2024. The announcement was made at the Rencontres Nationales du Transport Public 2023 on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, held in Clermont-Ferrand where the the brand-new model was presented as successor of the Businova® model. SAFRA showed the new model during the BUSWORLD in Brussels early this month, too.
The sale of SAFRA is part of an innovative global project, which brings together all the facets of a complete hydrogen ecosystem. KEOLIS will coordinate all the partner companies involved in the implementation of the project, from the production of renewable hydrogen, to the fuelling of the fleet and the sharing of acquired experience. The 10 HYCITY® vehicles are supplied by SAFRA under a full maintenance contract and will be operated by KEOLIS for a period of 10 years.
Starting in September 2024, the hydrogen vehicles will be deployed on lines 35-36, two combined urban lines linking the center of Clermont-Ferrand (Delille Montlosier) with the eastern municipalities of Lempdes, Mur-sur-Allier and Pont-du-Château.
More about SAFRA here:
https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/safra-and-its-new-hydrogen-bus-hycity/
