Citybus officially deployed the city's first-ever hydrogen bus into service on February 25. Operating on Route 20, which travels through the busy districts of Kowloon City, Yau Tsim Mong, and Sham Shui Po, the double-deck vehicle will run for an initial one-month period with six to eight trips daily, before expanding its service to two additional routes – Routes 20A and 22M – in the next phase.
The zero-emission hydrogen bus is said to emit only water, which eliminates exhaust fumes from the vehicle and can therefore improve overall air quality in the city. Many of those who onboarded the bus expressed that the vehicle ran much quieter and had stronger air conditioning compared to diesel or electric buses.
According to Citybus, the transportation company is aiming to operate a full fleet of zero-emission buses by 2045. For now, the hydrogen bus will only run throughout Kowloon as they are not permitted to pass through tunnels. There is also only one hydrogen refuelling station at Citybus' West Kowloon depot, though there are plans for more stations to be established on Hong Kong Island as the hydrogen-powered bus services expand.
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