Aberdeen's failed hydrogen bus fleet cost almost £14m

The world's first hydrogen double-decker bus fleet which was ditched in Aberdeen cost almost £14m, figures have revealed.

The project involving 25 buses was aimed at being the future of clean public transportation, with the city billed as the global hub for hydrogen-powered buses.

However in February the city council announced it was the end of the road for the initiative, electing for electric vehicles instead.

Following a freedom of information (FoI) request by STV, the council has now said that the bus fleet cost about £13.9m.

The city council and oil and gas giant BP became commercial partners in 2022 to take forward Aberdeen's hydrogen ambitions.

However the buses had been out action since September 2024, due to problems with fuelling stations at Kittybrewster and Cove.

The council then announced it was to drop the fleet in favour of electric vehicles following a meeting of its urgent business committee.

Asked how much Aberdeen City Council had spent buying the buses, the local authority said: "The 25 vehicles currently in the city were procured in two tranches.

"The total purchase cost was approximately £13.9m across the fleet."

More and more cities have opted for the battery alternative for buses.

In 2021, First Bus in Glasgow confirmed that it was investing in a fleet of 120 single and double-decker buses which could be charged very quickly overnight before spending 18 hours on the road.

More recently, the electric inter-city bus operator Ember has seen its fleet in Scotland grow to about 100 vehicles.

Battery capacity and efficiency has improved, meaning electric buses can be charged quickly and cover long distances.

They cost more than the diesel equivalent, but running costs are low, meaning operators are saving money from the moment the vehicles take to the road.