Aberdeen Hydrogen Buses Now Cost £30k After 3.5 Years of Service

Aberdeen City Council’s hydrogen buses became economically viable after 3.5 years of operation, with acquisition costs dropping from £556k to £30k per vehicle.

Aberdeen City Council initially purchased 25 hydrogen buses at £556,000 each in 2021. After 3.5 years of revenue operation, the council sold 23 buses to First Bus for £30,000 each—representing a 95% cost reduction. The buses were parked due to hydrogen supply issues, though the council received bids including one offering £1 per vehicle and another offering free vehicles. First Bus now plans to convert 23 of its hydrogen buses to battery electric by end-March 2027, with 16 more conversions planned in 2027–28. The £30,000 price excludes conversion costs, which remain undisclosed. This demonstrates hydrogen buses can become cost-effective for public transit when operational, though supply challenges and conversion expenses limit immediate scalability. The source provides no details on conversion costs or timelines.

Source: CleanTechnica