Are the next-gen Hydrogen buses introduced by Olectric and Reliance already better than current BMTC e-buses?

If there are two things Bengaluru residents can't seem to stop talking about, it's the city's serene weather and its equally tiresome traffic congestion. And this isn't baseless either; the Karnataka capital was just ranked one of the slowest places to drive in — and anyone who regularly commutes in the city will willingly attest to it.

While actively fighting the climate battle, it seems like we only take a step back on the traffic front every year. However, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has been valiant in replacing large fleets of traditional fossil-fueled buses with their electric counterparts. And now, we might be looking at a new contender soon: Hydrogen Buses.

Olectra Greentech, partnered with Reliance, unveiled their Hydrogen Bus last Thursday due to be released next year – and things look extremely promising, at least on paper. Initial reports have already indicated that these Hydrogen buses might even pack a bigger punch than the current electric buses. Let's see how the two compare.

The immediate advantage Olectric seems to boast is that their Hydrogen buses almost triple the range they can ply at full capacity. While current electric buses (produced by Ashok Leyland and JBM Auto) can ply around 150 kilometres on a single charge, the new Hydrogen buses completely dominate this figure with a massive 400-kilometre range, even higher than most private electric vehicles you can buy now.

Also, hydrogen cells are typically much quicker to charge than traditional e-vehicles. On paper, the Ashok Leyland buses take about 45 minutes to fully charge at a quick charging facility, while the Olectric buses take only about 15 minutes.

The new hydrogen buses could even transit with more passengers than current e-buses. According to the company, the 12-metre low-floor bus has a "customisable seating capacity" of 32 to 49 passenger seats. In comparison, the smaller green JBM e-bus only seats 30, while the larger purple bus seats around 40-45 people. Fossil fuelled buses like the Karnataka Sarige also boast about 40 seats.

Despite looking like the Vayu Vajra AC buses, the current e-buses don't sport AC facilities. However, many drivers have praised the new e-buses nevertheless, calling them easier to drive and control. In addition, these buses also contain an electronic ramp for wheelchair access, something that is distinctly absent from the city's fossil-fueled BMTC buses.

Similar to the e-buses, Olectric's hydrogen buses produce no emissions, generating only water as they ply. However, Hydrogen vehicles are a relatively new technology and will require new infrastructure to get on their feet. In addition, Hydrogen is highly flammable, and its handling could be precarious.

Bengaluru has been no stranger to change, with the city almost looking unrecognisable every few years. While Olectric's Hydrogen buses seem to have current e-buses beat in almost every front, it will undoubtedly be interesting to see how the rivalry of these two shapes the city's public transit shortly.

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