German carrier REVG introduces fleet of 26 Solaris fuel cell buses in Cologne region

Geman public transport operator REVG Rhein-Erft-Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH officially presented its new fleet of fuel cell buses on June 2nd. They will soon enter regular service across the Rhein-Erft district in western Germany, close to Cologne. The rollout includes 26 Solaris Urbino 12 Hydrogen. Following the initial deployment of two units in July 2024, the full delivery is scheduled for completion by the end of June 2025.

The new fuel cell hybrid buses are equipped with a 70 kW hydrogen fuel cell system from Ballard, paired with electric motors and traction battery.

Solaris hydrogen buses for REVG

The new fleet will be refueled at a hydrogen station located on REVG’s premises, built in October 2024 and operated by logistics company Rheinland Hilde Freund GmbH & Co. KG. The station is supplied exclusively with green hydrogen and was developed in partnership with Messer Group, a specialist in industrial and specialty gases, as REVG points out in its press note. The setup ensures 24/7 refueling availability.

The investment in clean technologies is backed by €7.488 million in funding from the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), as part of the national program to support alternative drivetrains in public transport. The funding also draws from the EU’s NextGenerationEU program, coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by project agency PtJ (Projektträger Jülich).

While REVG has committed to integrating hydrogen technology, the company emphasizes a technology-neutral approach. REVG CEO Martin Gawrisch stated “Whether hydrogen will be the central energy source in the long term remains to be seen – but we will continue to strive for the use of vehicles with alternative fuels“.