#PoweredByBallard: Brighton adds 34 buses to the UK's largest hydrogen-powered fleet

UK public transport company Go-Ahead Group has deployed a brand-new fleet of 34 Wrightbus hydrogen fuel cell buses – powered by Ballard – on public routes across Brighton and the surrounding area in the UK.

Comprised of Wrightbus’s Streetdeck Hydroliner double-decker fuel cell bus, the 34 buses provide an exceptional operational range of 280 miles and uninterrupted, efficient all-day service, with refueling that takes less than eight minutes - which compares favorably with the hours needed to recharge battery-electric alternatives.

From March, operations will increase so that all of Brighton's 42 zero-emission buses are fully deployed in daily service. The bus expansion rollout is jointly funded by Metrobus and Surrey County Council, which brings their total hydrogen-powered bus fleet to 54 – the largest operation of its kind in the UK.

Ballard’s proven fuel cell technology powers the Streetdeck Hydroliner – and has done so since the model was introduced on British roads in 2021. Servicing routes across the country during the past four years, including London, Birmingham, Aberdeen, and Belfast, the Wrightbus double-decker has now clocked up more than 2 million miles in operational service to-date.

To support zero-emission operations, the country’s first liquid hydrogen refueling station has been installed by chemical industry leader, Air Products, and has been in operation since November 2024, helping to keep at least 20 hydrogen-powered vehicles in daily service with fully certifiable and traceable green hydrogen.

“I am delighted to announce the arrival of 34 brand new UK-built hydrogen buses to our Metrobus fleet. These buses mark an historic occasion for Metrobus and Surrey County Council by demonstrating our ongoing and combined commitment to reducing emissions in Surrey and the local area. This is an excellent example of partnership working where together we can make zero-emissions a sustainable reality today for the communities we serve.“

Ed Wills Managing Director, Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus

As well as supporting the Hydroliner's operational service for the past four years, Ballard also powers Wrightbus's GB Kite Hydroliner - a single-decker fuel cell bus that connects passengers across Brighton and nearby towns, delivering exceptional performance to maintain intensive daily cycles of 370 miles, 365 days of the year. 

The model has also recently been introduced on German roads, with a fleet of 31 Kite Hydroliners now in service on public routes throughout Cologne.