Paris, 30 January 2024 – GCK and Keolis have signed a partnership agreement to trial a coach equipped with an internal combustion engine converted to run on hydrogen. Presented on the GCK stand at the Hyvolution trade show in Paris, this trial is an opportunity for both groups to test solutions that could help to decarbonise transport.
The trial involves an IVECO Crossway coach supplied by Keolis. Technical development will be carried out by two subsidiaries of the GCK group: GCK Mobility is adapting the vehicle, and Solution F the engine (a Cursor 9). The operation will take place at GCK Mobility's new workshops in Cournon-d'Auvergne (Puy-de-Dôme) in central France.
The primary goal of the partnership is to validate the prototype and test its performance and operation. The trial will also enable Keolis and GCK to explore a new solution meeting the criteria for vehicles with zero CO2 emissions, which they can then offer to their respective clients. It will also involve reusing 100% of the equipment in the existing coach, helping to develop a circular economy. Finally, it constitutes a new alternative for decarbonising mobility.
The trials of the vehicle are scheduled for the first quarter of 2025 before submission for official approval. The Keolis Group will offer its clients the opportunity to test this alternative solution for the energy transition.