What Ottawa Can Learn From Hydrogen Transit Failures Across Canada and Beyond - CleanTechnica

The article discusses Ottawa’s current transit challenges, emphasizing the critical decisions facing OC Transpo as it seeks to replace its aging diesel fleet amid budget constraints and recovering ridership. With about 30 battery electric buses currently in service and a strong focus on high-capacity electric buses to improve service frequency and reliability, Ottawa is navigating limited Canadian experience with such vehicles. The debate over propulsion technologies is framed not as an abstract choice but as one directly impacting service quality, maintenance, costs, and the city’s ability to support growth. Hydrogen buses have re-emerged in Ottawa’s transit discussions, prompting concern from local electric vehicle advocates and experts who argue that hydrogen technology is uneconomic, operationally challenging, and environmentally problematic. The article’s author, invited to address the Transit Commission, presented evidence from credible sources—including US Department of Energy reports, European studies, and peer-reviewed research—highlighting hydrogen’s high costs, maintenance difficulties, low vehicle availability, fragile refueling infrastructure, rapid fuel cell degradation, and