The people of the Occitanie region will be the first in France to be able to travel in green hydrogen-powered buses on daily routes. On Wednesday April 17, Carole Delga inaugurated the first two CO2-free green hydrogen buses retrofitted1 by Safra in Albi, in the presence of Michel Vilbois, Prefect of the Tarn department, Christophe Ramond, President of the Tarn department, Stéphanie Guiraud-Chaumeil, Mayor of Albi, and Vincent Lemaire, President of Safra. They are the first in a series of 15, all of which will be commissioned before the end of the year.
As part of the European Corridor H2 project, which aims to decarbonize passenger and freight transport on a massive scale, the Occitanie Region has undertaken to convert 15 diesel coaches into coaches powered by green hydrogen. The project was made possible by the “H2-PACK®” kit designed by Safra and its employees in Albacete, and supported by Ademe as part of the France 2030 program. This revolutionary technology makes it possible to extend the life of diesel vehicles already in service, by making them completely carbon-free, since they emit only water vapor. This means they can also be used in Low Emission Zones (LEZ). Six tanks contain 35 kg of green hydrogen, giving the bus a range of up to 500 km. The first two retrofitted coaches will be put into service by the Occitanie Region by the end of August.
"It's in Occitanie that the first passengers will be travelling on daily routes in retrofitted hydrogen-powered coaches! This is a source of pride for the region and for the employees of Safra, the company behind the H2-Pack technology that has enabled 15 diesel coaches to be converted into hydrogen-powered coaches, giving them a second life. To reconcile the decarbonization of mobility and the reindustrialization of Europe, the public authorities must have confidence in their industry by investing massively. By securing the first orders, local authorities, the State and Europe will enable new industrial sectors to emerge and stabilize their business models, before opening up to new international markets. If we don't, other countries will do it for us. Jobs and added value will then be created on other continents. The proactive Occitanie region is fully assuming this role, creating green jobs for the future on its territory.
About SAFRA
Safra, a French company founded in 1955, is a pioneer in hydrogen mobility and a long-standing player in the renovation of passenger transport equipment. The company’s strategy is aligned with environmental, societal and sovereignty issues, as a gas pedal of the energy transition through the sustainable decarbonization of passenger transport in Europe. Safra offers solutions that perfectly meet the needs of transport authorities as they move towards decarbonization of their fleets: construction and marketing of hydrogen-powered buses, retrofitting of diesel coaches with hydrogen, renovation and heavy maintenance of passenger transport vehicles, as well as customer service. For more information: www.safra.fr