An existing urban diesel bus of the type Van Hool A-120 has been used to demonstrate a proof of concept with regard to the conversion of such a bus towards the non-polluting fuel hydrogen. Performance results on the road are measured using a test circuit of 13.6 km length with 28 start/stops at varying intervals. This circuit is also used to determine the performances of new diesel buses for the Belgian authorities. Exhaust gas measurements are done during different test drives at the circuit. The measurements are taken during the successive speed conditions of the bus and the given values are averages of different readings. Concentrations of CO2, CO, HC, and H-2 are below the resolution of the measuring devices and the readings are zero. A maximum value of 0.76 g kW h(-1) is measured for NOx and converted to the standard European 13-mode drive test this is estimated at 0.25 g kW h(-1). An average fuel consumption of 1.4 m(N)(3) km(-1) is measured and considerations for fleet exploitation in Belgian cities are under discussion. Copyright (C) 1996 International Association for Hydrogen Energy.
