Last week, between the 1is and on January 2, 2025, a fire destroyed the 7 hydrogen fuel cell buses of the SMTC90 Optymo network (12 m Van Hool A12LF FC). More than 4.86 million euros went up in smoke. According to local radio France Bleu Ici Belfort, “the accidental track seems the most likely at this stage of the investigation, perhaps an electrical problem. The first operations of video surveillance cameras do not show any external presence on the site.”
Fortunately, the fire in the hydrogen buses did not cause any particular pollution or damage the Danjoutin depot. This disaster was, however, seen by a number of people, the depot being close to the A36 motorway.
This is a very bad blow to the Optymo network since SMTC90 had financed this investment with its own funds (to the tune of €1,751,869) and borrowed €1,500,000 from the Banque des Territoires.
For the operation of the Optymo network, according to the daily newspaper l'Est Républicain, the reserve fleet would make it possible to make up for the 7 destroyed buses. The hydrogen refueling station built and operated by Hynamics located in the immediate vicinity of the depot (1MW of power and 400kg of theoretical production of H2 from so-called renewable electricity) would not have been damaged.
It is symbolic but it completes the sad end of Van Hool, the next hydrogen buses (already ordered by SMTC90) being 12 and 18m Solaris Buses whose deliveries will be spread out over the course of 2025.
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