MAN Nutzfahrzeuge Aktiengesellschaft has developed a hydrogen-powered bus as part of the Euro-Quebec Hydro-Hydrogen Pilot Project. The project is being sponsored by the European Union.
The MAN hydrogen bus is based on a model SL standard-production city bus. The bus is driven by an internal combustion engine. The engine will run on either hydrogen or gasoline, to which end it has two independently-operating injection systems. The engine's emission levels in both modes are well inside the applicable limits for commercial vehicles.
The hydrogen is carried in the vehicle in liquid form at extremely low temperatures. The fuel tank system consists of three vacuum-insulated tanks, developed by Linde AG, who also developed the refueling system.
A comprehensive safety concept has been compiled for the vehicle with the cooperation of TUV Bayern-Sachsen to ensure that the highest possible levels of safety are met. The bus has been accepted by TUV and has been in scheduled service since 1996. The vehicle has covered a distance of more than 10 000 km in the city of Erlangen without any safety-relevant incident or fault. (C) 1997 International Association for Hydrogen Energy.