Vienna’s first hydrogen-powered Rampini midibuses begin road tests

Soon, Wiener Linien’s passengers will have the opportunity to become acquainted with hydrogen-powered midibuses, as the Rampini Hydron Range Extender midibuses ordered by the company a year ago are set to enter service shortly in Vienna. According to our information, two vehicles have already arrived at the future operator’s site, and one of them, numbered 8351, was recently captured by a keen local vehicle photographer while it was conducting test runs in the Austrian capital, marked as Sonderwagen (special service).

This hydrogen-powered model of Rampini, which is considered a rarity even on a European scale, measures just 8 meters in length and 2.2 meters in width. Last summer, Vienna’s public transport company ordered exactly 10 units for the 2A and 3A midibus routes to replace the more than 12-year-old Rampini Alé EL battery-powered electric midibuses currently serving these lines. We reported on the technical details of the incoming vehicles in this article. The switch in propulsion is justified by the anticipated longer range (approximately 250 kilometers) and reports that newly available purely electric vehicles would not be compatible with the existing charging infrastructure, necessitating its replacement or significant reconstruction. To support the new vehicles, Wiener Netzen and Wien Energie are constructing a filling station at the Leopoldau bus garage that will supply locally produced “green” hydrogen from environmentally friendly sources. Simultaneously, the previous overhead charging systems at the Schwarzenbergplatz terminus of route 2A and the Schottentor U terminus of route 3A will be dismantled.

Wiener Linien is actively exploring hydrogen propulsion and is currently conducting long-term tests with a full-size solo test bus equipped with Hyundai’s fuel cell technology and the Slovenian TAM bodywork.

Cover photo: DerGrafikfehler/busphoto.eu