Jyväskylä expands hydrogen trials to housing after second year of hydrogen bus testing

Jyväskylä’s hydrogen-powered buses will enter their second pilot year this summer, while the city’s Cefmof foundation broadens its hydrogen experiments into residential energy use, Yle reports.

The foundation—a joint initiative between the city and Toyota—has already funded over €1.3 million for a five-year hydrogen research program at the University of Jyväskylä. A local hydrogen production plant is now nearing completion, with the city’s existing refueling station set to distribute locally produced green hydrogen by year’s end.

Five Portuguese-built hydrogen buses have operated in Jyväskylä’s public transport since last autumn, yielding mixed results. While the technology endured Finland’s winter conditions, operators reported mechanical issues requiring adjustments. Harri Leskinen, managing director of Koiviston Auto Jyväskylä, confirmed that recent upgrades and long-awaited spare parts—delivered during a May visit by manufacturer Caetano—aim to improve reliability. Driver and passenger feedback on the buses has otherwise been positive.

Heavy-duty hydrogen trucks remain absent from Finnish roads, delaying expansion of refueling infrastructure. Esa Eerola, Cefmof’s program director, noted that while such trucks already operate in Central Europe, Finland lacks both the vehicles and EU-mandated stations along key transport corridors. The EU requires hydrogen refueling points every 200 kilometers on core networks by 2030, including routes from Turku to Kotka and Helsinki to Oulu, plus hubs in Kuopio and Tampere.

Cefmof’s latest project, Hydrogen House, will repurpose a summer cottage as a test site for residential hydrogen applications. The foundation plans to showcase energy solutions to the public by late 2026, with potential demonstrations during August’s WRC Rally Finland.