(Dortmund) – The civil engineering department of the city of Dortmund now has three hydrogen-powered Hyundai “Nexo”. These were procured in January following a tender and delivered to the municipal mobility center. The vehicles are equipped with warning markings and mobile rotating beacons. The employees use them for inspection and construction site trips as well as for trips to external appointments.
According to the information, the range is 650 kilometers. This means that there are “hardly any differences” compared to conventional vehicles with combustion engines, according to a statement. The refueling process at the so far only urban hydrogen filling station near the site takes barely five minutes. The operator of the system is H2 Mobility.
Additional vehicles are being procured
The board of directors had already set the goal in 2020 of organizing all business trips and trips in a much more environmentally friendly and gradually emission-free manner in the future. The purchase of the new vehicles fits “seamlessly into the strategy to promote the hydrogen economy in Dortmund”.
The city wants to purchase two more hydrogen-powered cars, a Hyundai Nexo and a Toyota Mirai II. These will then be available to several departments in a vehicle pool.
The purchase of the first three hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles was subsidized by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia with an undisclosed sum. According to the information, the city of Dortmund is making full use of the funding, which is limited to 500.000 euros per applicant per year, “for the purchase of a total of over 30 electric and fuel cell vehicles as well as city charging infrastructure”.
Photos
Dortmund's mayor Thomas Westphal tested one of the hydrogen vehicles: “We need more of them.” © Vonovia, Sascha Kreklau
