Sustainable urban mobility in Istanbul: A financial assessment of fuel cell hybrid-electric buses in the metrobus system

Abstract

As cities grow and become more populous, the demand for public transportation increases due to a need for authorities to expand their transportation capacity. However, the increased use of vehicles can cause environmental impacts such as air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and noise. To address these issues, governments and other stakeholders seek alternative transportation systems or technologies. This paper intends to assess the financial viability of using fuel cell hybrid-electric buses as an alternative transportation system for the Istanbul Metrobus System. The analysis is based on the Payback Period Method, which evaluates the costs and benefits of a project over its lifetime. The study compares the total operating costs of using fuel cell hybrid-electric buses to diesel and battery-electric buses. The study determined that fuel cell hybrid-electric buses can lead to a reduction in total operating costs of 81.1% compared to diesel buses and 56.3% compared to battery-electric buses. This analysis suggests that fuel cell hybrid-electric buses offer added value after approximately 9 years. The outcome of this study is significant as it can help stakeholders take informed decisions about the financial viability of alternative transportation systems. Furthermore, the financial model or approach used in this study can be useful for understanding how public transportation systems can be funded in the future.