Collaboration produces new electricity and hydrogen-powered bus

Promech Technologies, a commercial vehicle technology, chassis and powertrain integration specialist, has signed a partnership agreement with Renault Group and its specialist vehicle subsidiary, PVI.

The Renault Master City Bus H₂-TECH – an electric-hydrogen city-bus based on a Renault Master ZE-h platform – represents the first product development in the partnership.

It was unveiled earlier this month at Salon des Maires in Paris by HYVIA, a joint venture between Renault Group n and the leader in hydrogen solutions, Plug Power Inc.

The announcement signals the first major OEM collaboration for the newly-formed Promech Technologies company, which is part of the Woodall Nicholson group of specialist vehicle brands.

Promech is also receiving substantial investment for a new, 54,000 sq ft purpose-built facility in Scarborough, scheduled for opening in autumn 2022.

The Promech/Renault Group/PVI partnership will also see the development of a wider range of city-buses with low-floor battery-electric/hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) technology for UK and European markets.

A complete product line-up is expected to be available to order from 2022.

The new HYVIA city-bus dovetails the automotive industry’s two leading New Energy drive systems – battery electric and HFC – made possible by integration with Promech’s low-floor chassis and body transformation.

It provides scope to deliver range-extending, zero-emissions vehicles to meet customer requirements across three distinct market sectors including city-bus passenger transport, urban distribution, and emergency services.

Importantly, the design provides single-step access, a low, flat floor to all seats and wheelchair accessibility.

Promech Technologies is already a key provider of technologies, including eMobility, for some of the UK’s leading specialist vehicle brands, including Coleman Milne, Mellor, Treka Bus and VCS – all members of the Woodall Nicholson brand stable.

Woodall Nicholson’s chief technology officer, John Randerson, said: “The ingenuity and expertise of the Promech team allowed us to rethink how battery electric and HFC components are integrated and how this might be adapted for the European city bus market; practically extending vehicle range while not compromising internal space.

“The design briefing was clear,” he said, “To develop a specialist integration system supporting two zero-emission solutions while delivering user ergonomics for our customers.

“We are delighted with the city-bus solution. It’s great to see what can be achieved on a vehicle of this size.”