The largest bus body manufacturer in Australia has expanded its zero-emission transport operations with the construction of its first hydrogen-powered bus for public transit.
Volgren – a subsidiary of Brazilian-based vehicle manufacturer Marcopolo – has collaborated with European player Wrightbus to roll out the fuel cell bus, with a second unit now in production and slated for imminent delivery to the Australian transit operator Translink.
Wrightbus supplies the chassis technology for the bus, which is powered by Ballard's FCmove®-HD fuel cell engine. The 70kW module powers mid- and heavy-duty zero-emission mobility in a range of market verticals across global markets, offering high performance, proven reliability and durability, and simplified integration.
Having launched its first battery-electric bus with BYD in 2019, Volgren now boasts a zero-emission bus fleet of more than 150 in operation, spanning six variants of battery and fuel cell technologies. This hydrogen-powered bus is the latest in Volgren's growing portfolio.
As a project filled with "firsts", the Volgren bus also represents Wrightbus' debut in the Australian market, and the company's introduction of its powertrain technology exported to a bus body manufacturer, helping to grow its global reach in new and existing markets.
For Ballard, this latest collaboration is a further expansion into the zero-emission transit bus market in Australia, having already established a partnership with ARCC to power their hydrogen fuel cell models on public routes across Victoria and New South Wales, introduced earlier in 2024.