New Zealand’s first hydrogen bus takes its maiden voyage, as Auckland grapples with its transport emissions

New Zealand’s first hydrogen-powered bus took off on its maiden voyage in Auckland on Tuesday afternoon, TVNZ reports. The bus’s departure from Botany Town Centre shortly after 1pm marked the beginning of a two-year trial which will compare the hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle’s performance and its operating costs, to similar diesel and electric buses doing the same route. The prototype’s trial also marks the next step of Auckland Transport’s push to achieve an emissions-free bus fleet by 2030.