CHIC

Summary

The Clean Hydrogen in European Cities project (CHIC) was a flagship zero emission bus project that deployed a fleet of fuel cell electric buses and hydrogen refuelling stations in cities across Europe and at one site in Canada. The project started in 2010 and ended in December 2016. The project successfully demonstrated that fuel cell buses can offer a functional solution for cities to decarbonise their public transport fleets, improve their air quality and lower their noise levels. The buses can operate with the same flexibility as a diesel bus without compromising the productivity of public transport. 

The total project budget was €81.8 million, of which €25.88 million was co-funded by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). 26 fuel cell electric buses receiving FCH JU co-funding operated in the canton of Aargau (CH – 5 buses), in Bolzano (IT – 5 buses), London (UK – 8 buses), Milan (IT – 3 buses) and Oslo (NO – 5 buses). Cologne (DE – 4 buses) and Hamburg (DE – 4 buses) operated 8 further fuel cell buses through separately funded programs. In Whistler (CA), 20 fuel cell buses were deployed between 2010 (Winter Olympics Games) and March 2014. In Berlin (DE), 4 hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) buses operated between 2006 and December 2014. Throughout the project lifetime, 54 fuel cell buses were demonstrated in total. The diversity of climate and city sizes allowed the testing of the vehicles under different conditions.

Public deliverables

Final Report including. Part A. Final Publishable Summary Report. Part B: Final Restricted Full Report   | 28 February 2017

Clean Hydrogen in European Cities 2010-2016  | December 2016

Public Executive Summary of the Report on Hydrogen Infrastructure Operation and Performance | 28 November 2016

Recomendations for Hydrogen Infrastructure in Subsequent Projects | 7 October 2016

Issues of concern to external stakeholders and critics and pathways to their resolution: Reflections on change after 2 years | 24 September 2015

Analysis of Investments in workshops for fuel cell buses and hydrogen refuelling stations | 21 May 2015

Extract from influencing factors to the acceptance process of FCH technologies | 18 June 2014

Influencing factors to the acceptance process of FCH technologies in public transport | 30 June 2013

Issues of concern to external stakeholders and critics and pathways to their resolution | 14 June 2013