Clean transport pioneer Wrightbus has appointed a leading industry name as its new Head of Coach Sales, as it continues its drive to develop a long-range hydrogen coach.
David Porter, who has over three decades of experience in the coach industry with Volvo and Van Hool, joined Wrightbus earlier this month.
“I’m excited to join Wrightbus at this pivotal moment, and I’m looking forward to bringing the voice of the customer to the forefront in our coachbuilding process, alongside utilising my technical expertise and giving design direction,” said David, who is splitting his time between the Wrightbus head office in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, and visiting customers in the UK.
Wrightbus first announced plans to develop a hydrogen coach at the start of the year, with plans for the first vehicles to go into production in 2026.
Earlier this month, the company took the wraps off the latest stage of the coach’s development when it unveiled a 300kw demonstrator at the Cenex Expo at the famous Millbrook testing ground in Bedfordshire.
The final product is planned to have a range of 1,000km, which would put it on a par with traditional diesel-fuelled coaches.
“It’s the perfect time to join the company to use my experience to assist and drive the development and design aspect of vehicle, ensuring we produce a product that fulfils the customers operational needs,” said David.
“However, we have been very public with the fact that we are developing one and my immediate remit is to enhance that offering to customers. I am engaging with operators to get their views on the development so that we are offering something that they want, not what we think they want.
“In the coach environment, the challenge is the range. Current battery electric technology that has been utilised so far has limitations in this area, so there is a lot of excitement about the potential for a 1,000km hydrogen-powered vehicle. Many thought zero-emission coaches wouldn’t come close to the range diesel could offer and suddenly, here it is on the horizon.”
David started in the industry as a coach builder with Yeates, which was bought out by Volvo. He then spent over 30 years with Volvo, working in customer services before moving into sales and managing the UK and Ireland sales team.
Jean-Marc Gales, Wrightbus CEO, has described the development of a hydrogen coach as a “technical tour de force”.
“Coach operators require six to ten cubic metres of luggage space. You need at least 50 to 60 seats and disability access and enough packaging space to put the tanks and the hydrogen cooling system and the fuel cells in,” he said. “But we can do it, we have the technical expertise with fuel cells; we have the best engineers on the market for fuel cell buses.”
It is this aspect that attracted David to the role.
“The challenge is the main appeal and the drive to make it happen,” he said. We’ll find a way through the difficulties. It has to be a collaborative process.
“The sustainability aspect is very important both to me personally and to the sector. There are fewer small companies in the coach arena than a few years ago and these larger operators are thinking more about their green credentials, and also the need to offer their customers a zero-emissions option.”
Read more
NewPower secures first order from First Bus just weeks after launch
Read onWrightbus has contributed more than £1.5 billion to the UK economy
Read on100 zero emission electric buses for Translink propels green growth for Northern Ireland
Read onWrightbus unveils plan for European growth after incredible start to 2024
Read onVierter Deal in Deutschland: Cottbusverkehr ordert 46 Wasserstoffbusse von Wrightbus
Read onWrightbus helps Irish city to become one of the first to deploy fully electric bus service
Read onFirst Bus launches all-electric fleet depot after investing in Wrightbus’s ZE buses
Read onWrightbus sichert sich neuen Auftrag für 28 Wasserstoffbusse
Read onWrightbus secures new deal to deliver zero-emission buses to London
Read onShadow Northern Ireland Secretary hails green innovation at Wrightbus
Read onOxford continues charge to net zero with launch of Wrightbus’s fully electric buses
Read onWrightbus secures further orders with transport operator Abellio
Read onNorthern Ireland Minister hails green innovation at Wrightbus
Read onWrightbus’s zero-emission vehicles set to hit the streets of Norwich
Read onWrightbus lands significant order for hydrogen-powered buses from Germany
Read onPreparations gather pace for roll out of Wrightbus’s zero-emission buses in Oxford
Read onWrightbus’s first ever double-deck electric ‘low bridge’ buses launched in Leicester
Read onWrightbus secures new deal to deliver zero emission buses to London
Read onUniversity students on the fast track to success thanks to Wrightbus racing car sponsorship
Read onArriva London makes further commitment to delivering a sustainable bus network across London.
Read onFunding Award For Ballymena Hydrogen Production Facility at Wrightbus Site
Read onWrightbus secures new deal to deliver zero emission buses to Leicester
Read on£25 million to boost roll-out of British-made green buses around the country
Read onRecruitment Evening Encourages More Women Into The Workplace
Read onTransport Secretary hails hydrogen bus production at Wrightbus
Read onPlans announced for state-of-the-art green hydrogen project at Wrightbus Ballymena
Read onFostering is next stop for Norman after 30 years at Wrightbus
Read onMetroline places order with Wrightbus for zero-emissions buses
Read onGLASGOW OPEN TOP BUSES WILL SOON BE ONE OF THE GREENEST TOURS IN THE WORLD
Read onTranslink signs contract with Wrightbus for 100 new Zero Emission buses
Read onWrightbus showcasing benefits of Hydrogen at Labour & Conservative Conferences
Read onWrightbus to supply hydrogen cell technology to leading Australian bus operator
Read onFirst Bus places one of UK’s largest ever EV bus orders with Wrightbus
Read onWrightbus staff form Guard of Honour in tribute to founder Sir William Wright
Read onWrightbus announced as Ballymena United sponsors for next two football seasons
Read onNew Sales Director for Parts & Services joins the Wrightbus team
Read onNTA Announces Historic Agreement for 800 Battery-Electric Double-Deck Buses
Read onWrightbus signs landmark deal with Australia’s leading bus body manufacturer Volgren
Read onWrightbus Electroliner Officially World’s Most Efficient Double Deck Battery-Electric Bus
Read onThe first Wrightbus Electroliners set to enter passenger service in Belfast
Read onRecruitment drive continues at leading bus manufacturer Wrightbus
Read onHydrogen-powered buses on the streets of the West Midlands for the first time.
Read onMallon unveils the first in Ireland Battery Electric Double Decker Bus for Public Transport
Read onFortescue Future Industries joins hand with JCB and Ryze Hydrogen
Read onWrightbus prevents one million kgs of CO2 from entering the atmosphere
Read onThe UK Hydrogen Roadshow shines spotlight on low carbon hydrogen innovation
Read onWrightbus creates hundreds of permanent jobs as bus orders flood in
Read onMinister Poots visits Wrightbus to discuss its plans for green hydrogen economy
Read on