Hydrogen taxis to transport London VIPs

Date: 25/7/2012

A fleet of taxis powered by hydrogen fuel cells will be used to transport VIPs around London during the Olympic Games, it has been announced.

This is despite the fact that the five hydrogen fuel cell buses which serve the capital are being removed from the roads for the duration of the event.

The buses have recently reached the milestone of being refuelled 1,000 times, but fears over the supply of hydrogen delivered throughout the Games has lead to the service being suspended until September.

Diana Raine, European Business Manager of Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products, said: "The fleet has shown Londoners that hydrogen transport offers a low carbon solution that not only offers zero emissions, but also delivers a real and practical alternative to the diesel powered bus."

Meanwhile the new Air Products' hydrogen fuelling station at Heathrow Airport will be used to power five taxis designated to transport dignitaries from overseas around London during the Games.

It will become a permanent fixture in the hydrogen fuel infrastructure in London, which supports the only zero-emission bus route that operates anywhere in the UK.

The taxis have been provided to the city as part of the (HyTEC) Hydrogen Transport for European Cities initiative and represent the desire for London to tackle air pollution.

Kit Malthouse, Deputy Mayor of London, said: "London's hydrogen economy is bounding ahead. The HyTEC project has been a terrific success, and it provides great lessons for others to get ahead in the most exciting new industry of the 21st Century."

The London 2012 Olympic Games are being heralded as the most sustainable yet and low carbon transport around the city is just another way to help cut emissions.

Ms Raine said: "The success of the HyTEC project is an essential step in creating a zero emission hydrogen transport infrastructure in London."

The hydrogen fuel cell buses will return to the capital on September 24th.

Posted by Nick Anderson

International Transport News and Sustainable Transport News