Busworld Foundation has launched a four-year research project into the practical feasibility and operation of coaches with alternative propulsion systems and fuels to replace diesel on long-distance bus services and coach trips.
The DECA-LAB research project (2025–2028) is being set up by Busworld Foundation in cooperation with University of Applied Sciences Vives (Kortrijk), KU Leuven, and with support from the Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO).
“With this research we want to provide coach companies with guidelines to help them assess which type of propulsion might be suitable for them in the future,” explains researcher Sam Schotte (Vives), who leads the project together with colleagues Tricky De Muynck and Steven De Tollenaere. “We plan to compare sixteen propulsion systems and fuels. More specifically, this concerns diesel, biodiesel, HVO diesel, bio-ethanol, methanol, hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen combustion engines, battery-electric systems, and even solar panels on a coach roof. We will also look at hybrid combinations such as diesel-electric, with or without plug-in systems, diesel-hydrogen, and other dual-fuel applications.”
Evaluating charging infrastructure and logistics
“Additionally, we will evaluate charging and refueling infrastructure as well as the logistics needed to supply the required energy carriers. We will also examine the impact of alternative drives and fuels on, for example, the available luggage space and the residual value of a coach. Finally, we will provide information about environmental aspects, including the sustainable or non-sustainable extraction of raw materials like lithium, nickel, and cobalt, which are needed for battery production,” Schotte continues. All collected and analyzed data will be processed in the course of 2028 into a user-friendly application that will give coach operators a clear picture of the available propulsion options for long-distance bus services and coach trips, and what they mean in practice for their operations.