Hydrogen at scale: for fuel cell electric buses – a California case study

As longtime partners for clean air in California, public transit agencies play a pivotal role in transitioning vehicle fleets away from fossil fuel-powered technologies to zero-emission alternatives.

The Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulation is a critical first step in accelerating this transition. The ICT regulation was adopted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in December 2018 and requires all public transit agencies to gradually transition to a 100 per cent zero-emission bus (ZEB) fleet. Beginning in 2029, 100 per cent of new purchases by transit agencies must be ZEBs, with a goal for a full transition by 2040.

A ZEB Rollout Plan is required from each transit agency to show how it is planning to achieve a full transition to zero-emission technologies. Large transit agencies have to submit their Rollout Plan by 1 July 2020, and small transit agencies by 1 July 2023. Transit agencies must act now to select a ZEB solution that will carry them into the future – and secure funding for their chosen technology.