With Rampini Hydron the Italian company launches the first H2-powered 8-meter bus in Europe (and unveils Sixtron and Eltron)

The first hydrogen bus completely made in Italy (and also the very first 8-meter fuel cell bus in Europe) is built and designed by Rampini. The presentation of the new vehicle Rampini Hydron, powered by hydrogen fuel cell, to authorities and the press was held today at the production center in Passignano sul Trasimeno (PG).

Announced in late 2020, Rampini Hydron is an 8-meter long hydrogen bus capable of transporting up to 48 people and features a stated range of 450 kilometers.

The public presentation of the new hydrogen bus and the range of electric buses is scheduled within Next Mobility Exhibition (Oct. 12-14, 2022) the public mobility exhibition organized by Fiera Milano within the spaces of Fiera Milano Rho, one of the most awaited public transport exhibitions scheduled in 2022.

The range of products we have presented today is our pride, the result of investments in research and innovation and the testimony that Italian industry is alive and capable of expressing excellence. Being sustainable, in fact, is not only a competitive factor, but it is a way to be able to exist in the market and look with confidence to the future of an industrial production, which we also contributed to be appreciated throughout Europe

Fabio Magnoni, general manager of Rampini

Rampini Hydron launched: 8-meter bus with fuel cells

Rampini Hydron combines a high-performance battery with a fuel cell that powers the battery. The vehicle is equipped with a rear-wheel drive electric motor and a maximum power output of 230 kW. The output of the fuel cell equals 30 kWh. 

The operating logics of the Fuel Cell and batteries are governed by the Energy Balance System. That is, an electronic unit that can communicate with all on-board systems and oversees energy production by implementing special algorithms to achieve maximum performance.

The capacity of the hydrogen tank is 10.8 kilograms. “The bus has a range of 450 kilometers so it is perfectly capable of urban service. without having to be recharged during service”, Rampini says.

Rampini Sixtron and Eltron launched as well

Also today, 15th September 2022, the company unveiled two new zero-emission (battery-electric) bus models: Sixtron, a six-meter electric bus designed to meet transportation needs in the small historic centers, and Eltron, the evolution of the E80 model, being the latter the first electric bus built by Rampini.

Rampini Sixtron is a 6-meter urban bus with a low platform and a seat for the disabled, manufacturer says. It can transport up to 31 passengers, having great maneuverability and a stated range of about 250 km, designed to work non-stop, all-day, in urban-type use. A first example of Sixtron is already in circulation on the island of Procida, this year’s European Capital of Culture.

Rampini Eltron, after years of testing, has been sold in Italy and several European countries since 2010 (under the name Rampini E80) and has been continuously updated to meet the needs of users. Eltron has distinctive technical features including a narrow width, three doors, and a range of more than 300 kilometers-an outstanding achievement for vehicles of this size.

Three zero-impact bus models that took months of design and fine-tuning by the Rampini team and meant a 10 percent investment in research and development for the company.

Rampini is well appreciated abroad, with buses operating in Spain, France, Germany, Austria and Greece.

“A few years ago we made a precise and, for the time, counter-cultural choice: not to build diesel buses anymore. A choice made at a time that was not suspicious and that raised, in the industry, quite a few doubts. The range of products we have presented today is our pride, the result of investments in research and innovation and the testimony that Italian industry is alive and capable of expressing excellence. Being sustainable, in fact, is not only a competitive factor, but it is a way to be able to exist in the market and look with confidence to the future of an industrial production, which we also contributed to be appreciated throughout Europe.” said Fabio Magnoni, general manager of Rampini S.p.A.