Hydrogen-powered buses introduced in Frankfurt
The deployment of new articulated buses has been announced, but they will not be operating in Frankfurt, where hydrogen buses without articulation have been in service since 2022. The exact city where these new buses will be running has not been specified.
Contrary to some assumptions, the state is supporting the deployment of these new buses, but not the acquisition itself. A sum of 2.3 million euros has already been allocated for the acquisition of these buses.
These new buses are not hydrogen buses without articulation, as their predecessors were in Frankfurt. Instead, they are articulated buses, offering more flexibility and capacity for passenger transportation.
The deployment of these buses is not part of the initial deployment of nine buses between West Station and East Station in Frankfurt. Instead, they will be serving travel routes in other parts of the city.
It is worth noting that Vienna, Austria, will be starting the operation of articulated hydrogen buses in September 2025. These buses, manufactured by Rampini, will run on city center lines 2A and 3A. The funding for these buses is supported by federal subsidy programs in Germany targeting zero-emission bus fleets, with a target price of €1 million per articulated bus.
In Germany, a nationwide funding call was launched in 2025 to support the acquisition of zero-emission buses, including hydrogen fuel cell buses. This program is administered by the German Federal Ministry for Transport (BMV) and includes funding for bus purchase, infrastructure, and retrofitting.
While there is no direct mention of the exact state funding for Vienna's Rampini buses, Germany’s federal program actively supports hydrogen bus acquisitions across the country, including articulated models. For more specific financial particulars on Vienna's funding, local transport or state government disclosures would be the next source to consult.
The innovative articulated buses, contrary to the hydrogen buses in Frankfurt, are set to be deployed in a city yet to be specified, financed by federal subsidy programs in Germany, engaging primarily in public-transit and transportation routes outside Frankfurt. Despite not being hydrogen buses, they are supported by the German government and follow the trend of zero-emission buses, with France potentially considering similar acquisitions, as seen in Vienna, Austria's plan to introduce Rampini's articulated hydrogen buses in 2025. The French industry, thus, might align with this growing trend in the finance sector.
