Phoenix Sells Idle Hydrogen Bus Amid Lack of Fuel Infrastructure

Hydrogen Bus in Phoenix: A Journey from Innovation to Hurdles

Hidden away in a secured area of the Phoenix Transit Department’s lot is a bus that, at first glance, appears no different from others navigating the city’s streets. Yet, this bus is unique—it runs on hydrogen instead of fossil fuels.

Phoenix acquired this hydrogen-fueled bus in 2024 as part of its commitment to promoting zero-emission public transit. The bus operates by channeling hydrogen into a fuel cell, where it combines with oxygen to generate power for an electric motor.

This environmentally friendly initiative came with a hefty price tag: $1.5 million for the hydrogen bus. In comparison, traditional gas-powered buses cost $560,000, while electric buses range between $739,000 and $850,000, as noted in a Valley Metro report.

However, a significant oversight emerged—Phoenix lacked the necessary hydrogen fuel infrastructure. According to Carmen DeAlba from the Public Transit Department, “During that time, there were plans of their companies being here that would provide fuel, hydrogen fuel, but because there currently isn’t for X amount of reasons, we just don’t have the infrastructure to provide hydrogen fuel for our bus, so we just decided to stop.”

Initially, Phoenix intended to acquire six hydrogen fuel-cell buses in 2023 through a deal with New Flyer America, a major bus manufacturer. Yet, due to the lack of hydrogen availability, the plan was reduced to just one pilot bus.

Funding for these buses came from a grant under President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allocated $16,362,600 to the city’s transit department. The grant aimed to support the purchase of hydrogen fuel cell buses, battery electric buses, charging equipment, and workforce training, as part of Phoenix’s zero-emission transition strategy, according to the federal grant award.

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego attributed the project’s challenges to policy shifts during the Trump administration. “There was, several years ago, huge momentum for hydrogen fuel in Arizona, incredible economic development announcements in the hundreds of millions of dollars,” Gallego stated. “With the change in … Washington, D.C., there, many of the announcements have since decided they will not go forward.”

Despite the setback, Phoenix remains committed to reducing emissions. “We don’t know for the future,” DeAlba remarked. “We can revisit it always later on. But for now, we’re more focusing on those battery and hybrid buses.”

Recently, the Phoenix City Council unanimously agreed to sell the idle bus to an interested buyer, with Santa Clara, Calif., expressing interest. DeAlba noted that the city expects to recoup the $1.5 million spent on the bus.