Flix, which offers low-cost coach travel through its FlixBus brand, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shell for a long-term partnership aimed at exploring how alternative fuels could be used to power long-distance coach travel.
While personal mobility is relatively easy to decarbonise through battery electric vehicles, the power requirement for long-distance coach travel makes this option more challenging. The partnership will therefore look at various fuels to reduce the overall emissions of journeys, such as biodiesel, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and biological liquefied natural gas (bio-LNG), alongside electricity and hydrogen.
Shell, which also makes commercial vehicle oil for the coach industry, will work with Flix to bring bio-LNG technology to its coach fleet. Up to 50 coaches may be equipped with technology to use bio-LNG, which will be produced from agricultural waste over the coming two years.
Speaking for Shell, Sönke Kleymann reiterated the company’s dedication:
“…to shaping the future of mobility in a sustainable manner. This is also true for heavy-duty vehicles and coach traffic. With this cooperation between Shell and Flix, we set a milestone for sustainable mobility. We are looking forward to jointly implementing projects to support the decarbonisation of long-distance coach services.”
Fabian Stenger, Flix’s COO, said it was his company’s goal to make its customer’s journeys as sustainable as they can be. With both companies having international operations, they believe much can be gained by collaborating in the long term to develop the associated infrastructure.
