Electric bus delivery stories used to be few and far between. Now, you can get multiple stories a week! There are so many stories to catch up on that I’m combining several into one in this article.
Mercedes-Benz eCitaro. Image courtesy of Daimler.
95 electric buses for The Hague: First of all, I’ll give priority to the biggest order. The major Dutch city of The Hague has ordered 95 electric buses from Daimler Buses. Those include the “solo” as well as articulated Mercedes-Benz eCitaro and eCitaro G city buses. The order also includes EV charging infrastructure. The electric buses are supposed to go into operation in 2024.
Mercedes-Benz eCitaro. Image courtesy of Daimler.
“The Mercedes-Benz low-floor electric buses with a length of 12 and 18 metres and state-of-the-art NMC 3 battery technology will be delivered to the transport company HTM, which operates trams, light rail vehicles and buses in the Hague region. With the new eCitaro, HTM is replacing the existing bus fleet with natural gas drive and is the first public transport operator in the Netherlands to convert its entire fleet to locally emission-free and CO2-neutral electric buses. With the transition to electrification, HTM is underlining its green commitment to public transport in the Hague region. […]
“The Mercedes-Benz eCitaro and eCitaro G electric buses are equipped with the latest generation of NMC 3 batteries with lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt-oxide cells. Mercedes-Benz low-floor electric buses are charged at HTM via pantographs.
“In the interior, passengers are welcomed by a friendly ambience with a wood-look floor and luxuriously upholstered seats in HTM design. Special wheelchair spaces have been set up on board the buses for passengers with reduced mobility or passengers with prams. The state-of-the-art automatic climate control system ensures a pleasant and comfortable climate in the eCitaro. What is special about this is that the driver can regulate the temperature at their workplace separately from the temperature in the passenger compartment via their own climate control system.”
HTM (the public transport company of and for the Hague region) orders Mercedes-Benz eCitaro and eCitaro G with all-electric drive, NMC 3 battery, 2 x electric hub motor, 2 x 125 kW, 2 x 485 Nm, 98 kWh per battery pack, three-door, eCitaro length/width/height: 12135 /2550/3400 mm, passenger capacity: max. 1/86, eCitaro G length/width/height: 18125 /2550/3400 mm, passenger capacity: max. 1/130. Image courtesy of Daimler.
Notably, while Europe is supposed to reach 100% electric buses (sorry, zero-emissions buses) by 2030, the Netherlands set a more ambitious requirement of 2025. Expect more orders from Dutch cities soon!
56 electric buses for Aarhus: The Danish city of Aarhus will get 56 electric buses from Solaris. The buses will be received in two phases, 31 in 2024 and 25 in 2025. “The operator AarBus, which manages transport in this Danish city, has had Solaris battery models in its fleet since last year. Another significant order is the confirmation of the reliability of the Urbino electric.”
Previously, Aarhus received 29 electric buses from Solaris.
“The vehicles will be powered by energy from Solaris High Energy batteries. Energy storage facilities with a capacity of over 450 kWh will provide the operator with a long range and operability throughout the day. The buses will be charged via a plug-in connection. The source of drive will be an electric axle with two motors. The air conditioning system will provide passengers with optimal thermal conditions inside the vehicle. In addition, double glazing will be used in each of the Urbinos to further improve the thermal insulation of the buses.”
20 electric buses for Cracow: MPK Kraków in Poland has just received Urbino electric buses from Solaris, 20 of them. That includes 13 twelve-meter vehicles (Urbino 12 buses) and 7 articulated vehicles (Urbino 18 buses). “The official handover of the buses was attended by Jacek Majchrowski, Mayor of Cracow, representatives of Cracow public transport operator MPK SA, and Solaris.”
MPK Kraków now has 99 electric buses in its fleet (76 Solaris electric buses and 13 others). “The energy storage system in the new buses consists of Solaris High Energy batteries with a total capacity of nearly 300 kWh in the 12-meter units, and over 400 kWh in the articulated Urbino vehicles. What is more, each bus is adapted for both charging using a plug-in connector and pantograph charging. To boost the buses efficiency and to reduce energy consumption even further, the propulsion system in both models employs innovative SiC technology, i.e. using silicon carbide-based circuits.
“The shorter buses offer space for 81 passengers, whereas the articulated units can carry 141 people. All systems and devices installed in the vehicles are powered solely by electricity. Additional equipment includes e.g. a complete video surveillance system, a comprehensive passenger information system, air-conditioning, USB ports, and an electrical heating system. Moreover, the Urbino electric buses destined for Cracow will feature an innovative AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alert System) system to alert pedestrians to the presence of these incredibly quiet electric vehicles.”
10 electric buses for Novi Sad: The Serbian city of Novi Sad just received 10 Solaris electric buses. Unlike many cities that are on their second or third order of electric buses from Solaris, this is the first city in Serbia to order Urbino electric buses from the company.
“Solaris delivered the vehicles along with the charging infrastructure. During the day, the buses will be charged using 3 pantograph chargers located at bus loops, while at night, there will be five stationary chargers at the depot. […] The Urbino 12 electric buses are extremely quiet and emission-free at the point of use. With batteries of approximately 90 kWh and optimally designed infrastructure, the vehicles will have sufficient range and operational capability to be used on all bus lines in Novi Sad. […]
“The operator has prioritized passenger and driver safety. The implemented Mobileye Shield+ solution aims to monitor blind spots and the bus’s surroundings, alerting the driver about pedestrians or cyclists nearby and enhancing the safety of road users. The innovative Mirror Eye system, equipped with cameras instead of conventional mirrors, significantly improves visibility, especially during nighttime and in challenging weather conditions. Each Urbino electric bus is equipped with an alcohol lock as an additional safety measure.”
2 electric buses for Nowa Ruda: Last but not least (wait, yes, “least” applies in this case), we have the order for two Solaris Urbino 9 electric buses for the town of Nowa Ruda in Serbia.
“The buses will be equipped with a traction motor powered by Solaris High Energy batteries. They will be recharged via cable using a plug-in connector. The requisite charging device will also be supplied by the e-bus manufacturer. The average range of vehicles configured this way exceeds 200 km. The passenger capacity is at least 55 passengers, with seats available to 25 of them. The e-buses will boast, among other features, air-conditioning and heating, a video surveillance system and a passenger information system. Each vehicle will also be equipped with bike racks for four bikes, which is an unusual and rarely applied solution. They will be mounted on the rear wall of each e-bus and will be able to carry bikes with wide tyres (up to around 6 cm) as well as e-bikes (weighing up to 25 kg).”
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