Albi, January 26, 2023
A few days before the opening of the Hyvolution exhibition dedicated to the hydrogen sector, which will be held this year in Paris Porte de Versailles on February 1st and 2nd, SAFRA is more than ever in the starting blocks to present its hydrogen retrofit kit. Announced last October at the Autocar Expo show, the company is now in the final run for approval. This phase is indeed essential to carry out the conversion of the vehicles, in compliance with the technical and administrative provisions of the Order of 13 March 2020.
A hydrogen retrofit kit for coaches
The H2 retrofit kit proposed by SAFRA, registered under the brand name H2-PACK®, and supported by ADEME, the French Agency for Ecological Transition, is a real technical achievement which enables the transformation of a diesel coach into a Zero Emission vehicle running on hydrogen and emitting only water vapor.
Vincent Lemaire, President of SAFRA, said: “SAFRA, a specialist in passenger transport equipment for more than 65 years, is a pioneer in hydrogen and is fully integrated into the ecosystem. SAFRA is a manufacturer of hydrogen vehicles with over ten years’ experience for this technology and its safe implementation, which has made the strategic move to allow its customers the possibility of accelerating the decarbonisation of their fleet through hydrogen retrofitting. SAFRA is also the only company to offer a H2 retrofit kit tailored to the Mercedes Intouro coach, the bestseller of the European coach market. »
On the way to approval
The certification phase is underway, including a vehicle rollover test as part of the final validation stages of the H2-PACK® kit. The operational safety studies have already been carried out during the design phase. Performing all safety tests, including passenger safety, is for SAFRA a guarantee of quality and safety for its customers. Thus, upon completion of the acceptance tests and the reception of the type approval, SAFRA will be able to launch the hydrogen retrofit of the first batch of vehicles with an industrial approach.
Eric Baleviez, Sales and Services Director, says: “We have made the conscious choice to offer a solution for a well-known vehicle, by adapting a kit at the cutting edge of current technology. We combine our experience acquired in the hydrogen powertrain and connected vehicles with our recognised know-how in the renovation sector. As a consequence our retrofit kit is a safe, processed industrial solution to decarbonation of our customers’ fleets. Discussions are also well engaged for the implementation of a technical and after-sales partner network, able to duplicate and accelerate the deployment of our solution. Our tool named VHYSION®, dedicated to the technical monitoring of our hydrogen urban range, is already operational for our kit H2-PACK® “.
SAFRA is currently working on 15 vehicles in its workshops and has advanced talks on other retrofit projects.
Stéphane Prin, SAFRA’s CEO, also confirms that “H2-PACK® is an industrial solution that can be installed in our factory or by SAFRA-certified workshops in order to respond even more quickly to large demand.”
The countdown is on, and the historic approval of the first H2-PACK® retrofit kit is just around the corner!
About
Safra, a French company founded in 1955, is a long-standing specialist in the renovation of passenger transportation equipment and a pioneer in hydrogen mobility. The company is committed to tackling challenges facing the environment, society, and sovereignty, seeking to become the leading accelerator of energy transition via sustainable decarbonization of public transportation in Europe.
Safra offers solutions that perfectly meet transportation authorities’ needs for transitioning to decarbonized fleets: manufacturing and selling hydrogen buses, hydrogen retrofits for diesel-powered coaches, renovation, and heavy maintenance for passenger transportation vehicles as well as a full customer service. More informations : www.safra.fr