Preparing Hydrogen Buses for Real Routes: What LuxHyVal Is Doing on the Ground

From Ambition to Operation

Across Europe, public transport authorities are facing increasing pressure to decarbonize their fleets while maintaining reliable, affordable and attractive services for passengers. As cities and regions work towards climate neutrality, transport operators are exploring different zero-emission technologies to replace conventional diesel buses.

Battery Electric Buses (BEBs) have become an important part of this transition and are already widely deployed in urban networks. However, some transport services continue to present operational challenges, particularly those involving long daily distances, intensive vehicle utilization, regional routes or limited opportunities for recharging. In these situations, hydrogen fuel cell technology is emerging as a complementary solution that can support the broader transition towards sustainable mobility.

Yet deploying hydrogen buses involves much more than purchasing vehicles. Operators must understand how hydrogen technology performs under real-world conditions, how routes need to be planned, how drivers and maintenance teams must be trained, and how hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure can be integrated into daily operations. These practical considerations often determine whether a project succeeds.

This is precisely where the LuxHyVal (Luxembourg Hydrogen Valley) project comes in. Bringing together partners from Luxembourg, LuxHyVal aims to accelerate the development of a regional hydrogen ecosystem by connecting renewable hydrogen production, distribution and end-use applications. Public transport is one of the project’s most visible use cases, providing an opportunity to demonstrate how hydrogen can support the transition to zero-emission mobility on a large scale.

As the project moves from planning towards implementation, significant work is being undertaken to prepare hydrogen buses for real routes and real passengers. Rather than focusing solely on technology demonstrations, LuxHyVal is generating the operational knowledge needed to support future deployment across the Greater Region and beyond.

Understanding Where Hydrogen Creates Value

One of the first questions any transport operator faces is straightforward: Which zero-emission technology is best suited for a given route?

The answer depends on operational requirements. Battery Electric Buses have proven highly effective in many urban environments where vehicles can return regularly to depots for charging and where daily mileage remains within battery range limits. Their high energy efficiency and growing technological maturity make them an attractive solution for city networks.

However, not all transport services operate under the same conditions. Regional and interurban routes often require vehicles to remain in service throughout the day, travel long distances or operate in areas where charging opportunities are limited. For these applications, Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Buses (FCEBs) can provide additional flexibility. Hydrogen buses combine zero tailpipe emissions with ranges comparable to conventional diesel vehicles and can be refueled in a matter of minutes, allowing operators to maintain demanding schedules without lengthy charging periods.

Within Sales-Lentz, the objective is not to position hydrogen as a replacement for battery-electric mobility. Instead, the project seeks to understand where hydrogen can complement battery-electric solutions and help address transport applications that remain challenging to electrify using batteries alone. The future of public transport is unlikely to rely on a single technology. Rather, operators are expected to deploy a combination of solutions tailored to specific operational needs.

To support this approach, Sales-Lentz is evaluating numerous factors that influence technology selection, including:

• Daily vehicle mileage;
• Route topography;
• Passenger demand patterns;
• Fleet utilization rates;
• Refueling and charging opportunities;
• Depot operations;
• Infrastructure requirements.

By analyzing these parameters, the project helps transport authorities and operators identify where hydrogen can create the greatest value while supporting broader decarbonization objectives.

From Models to Real Operations

Selecting the right technology is only the first step. Successfully deploying hydrogen buses requires a thorough understanding of how vehicles, drivers, depots and energy infrastructure interact within a complete transport system.

To address this challenge, Sales-Lentz is developing and refining operational and business models that simulate daily fleet activities. These tools help stakeholders evaluate different deployment scenarios before vehicles enter service, reducing uncertainty and supporting evidence-based decision-making.

The models consider a wide range of operational factors, including:

• Vehicle range under different operating conditions;
• Hydrogen and electricity consumption;
• Refueling and charging schedules;
• Driver shift patterns;
• Depot logistics;
• Service reliability requirements;
• Infrastructure utilization;
• Energy demand across the network.

Such analyses are particularly important because zero-emission technologies behave differently from conventional diesel fleets. Battery-electric buses, for example, typically achieve higher energy efficiency but may require larger charging infrastructure investments for intensive operations. Hydrogen buses offer greater operational flexibility and rapid refueling but depend on the availability of a reliable hydrogen supply chain. Understanding these trade-offs is essential for developing sustainable deployment strategies.

The project therefore adopts a systems-level perspective. Rather than focusing solely on vehicles, LuxHyVal examines the complete value chain—from renewable electricity generation and hydrogen production to storage, distribution and final use in public transport operations.

This integrated approach reflects one of the project’s core ambitions: demonstrating how local hydrogen ecosystems can support real-world mobility applications. By connecting renewable energy production with transport demand, LuxHyVal contributes to the development of a regional hydrogen economy that can deliver both environmental and economic benefits.

Another important aspect of this work is the evaluation of long-term economic performance. Building on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) methodologies, project partners assess not only vehicle acquisition costs but also infrastructure investments, operational expenses, maintenance requirements and expected technology developments.

While hydrogen mobility is still evolving, such analyses help transport operators better understand future opportunities and challenges. They also provide valuable insights for policymakers and public authorities responsible for planning the transition to sustainable transport systems.

Preparing People as Well as Technology

Technology alone cannot guarantee a successful deployment. The transition to hydrogen mobility also depends on people.

Drivers, maintenance technicians, depot managers, emergency services and operational planners all play a crucial role in ensuring that hydrogen buses operate safely and efficiently. Introducing a new energy carrier requires new skills, updated procedures and increased awareness across the entire organization.

For this reason, training and capacity building form an important part of Sales-Lentz’s activities.

Drivers are often the first ambassadors of a new technology. Their experience directly influences passenger perception and operational performance. Hydrogen buses typically offer a quiet and comfortable driving experience similar to battery-electric vehicles, but drivers still need to understand specific operational procedures, refueling practices and energy-efficient driving techniques.

Maintenance teams also require dedicated training. Although hydrogen technologies have reached a high level of maturity, fuel cell systems involve components and procedures that differ from those used in conventional diesel fleets. Workshops may require adaptations, and maintenance personnel must become familiar with new inspection and servicing requirements.

Emergency response organisations represent another important stakeholder group. Early engagement with fire services and safety authorities helps ensure that appropriate procedures are established and that all stakeholders gain confidence in the technology.

By involving these groups from the outset, Sales-Lentz is helping build the expertise needed to support future large-scale deployment.

Learning Through Demonstration

One of the greatest strengths of hydrogen valley projects lies in their ability to generate practical experience.

While modelling and planning provide essential insights, real-world demonstrations allow stakeholders to validate assumptions and identify challenges that may not be apparent during the design phase. Demonstration activities provide valuable evidence regarding vehicle performance, infrastructure operation and user acceptance.

Within Sales-Lentz, these activities are helping answer important questions:

• How do hydrogen buses perform on regional routes?
• What are the operational impacts of different refuelling strategies?
• How can hydrogen supply be optimised?
• What organisational changes are required?
• Which lessons can be transferred to other regions?

The answers are valuable not only for Luxembourg but also for many European regions pursuing similar decarbonisation goals.

By documenting experiences and sharing lessons learned, LuxHyVal contributes to a growing body of knowledge that can accelerate the adoption of hydrogen mobility across Europe. The project demonstrates how collaboration between transport operators, infrastructure providers, industry partners and public authorities can support the successful integration of innovative technologies into everyday operations.

Looking Ahead: Building a Multi-Technology Zero-Emission Future

The transition to zero-emission transport is no longer a question of if but how. Across Europe, transport operators are increasingly deploying battery-electric buses while exploring hydrogen as an additional solution for applications where operational flexibility, long range and rapid refuelling are essential.

Sales-Lentz demonstrates that introducing hydrogen buses involves much more than adopting a new vehicle technology. It requires integrated planning, robust business models, skilled personnel, reliable infrastructure and close collaboration across sectors. At the same time, it requires a realistic understanding of how hydrogen fits alongside battery-electric mobility within future transport systems.

As the project progresses, partners continue to refine operational models, prepare infrastructure, train stakeholders and gather valuable real-world experience. The objective is not to identify a single winning technology, but to provide evidence-based guidance on how different zero-emission solutions can work together to achieve climate goals while maintaining high-quality public transport services.

By connecting renewable energy, hydrogen production and clean mobility, LuxHyVal is helping transform ambitious climate objectives into practical solutions that can be deployed on real routes, serving real passengers every day. The lessons learned today will support transport authorities across Europe in building resilient, efficient and sustainable fleets for the decades ahead.

Author

Joe MALAGO – Chief Technology Officer / SALES-LENTZ (part of SLG)

Funding disclaimer

The LuxHyVal project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101111984 and is co-funded by the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking.