Between 2010 and 2016, 56 fuel cell hydrogen buses (FC buses) were used as part of the CHIC (Clean Hydrogen in European Cities) project, in regular public local transport in the cities of London, Aargau, Bolzano, Milan, Oslo, Hamburg, Cologne and Whistler. At the same time, the hydrogen refuelling infrastructures for the buses were set up and successfully operated. The electric fuel cell buses were supplied and maintained by 6 different manufacturers.
The project has shown that fuel cell buses can replace diesel buses as they offer the same flexibility in use and the same productivity - all with zero emissions. Therefore, it can be said that the technology has reached the technical maturity for broad use. Now it is a matter of promoting the commercialization of buses. This means using a common European purchasing policy to significantly increase the number of FC buses and thereby bring the life cycle costs of buses closer to those of diesel buses.