Buses World News

VDL ELECTRIC BUSES * Europe - Double decker ones, for Transdev

* The Netherlands - VDL gets order for largest electric bus fleet in Europe

--- Dutch public transport company Connexxion has placed an order with VDL Bus & Coach for no fewer than 100 Citeas SLFA Electric. This is the largest order for electric buses in VDL's history and gives Connexxion and its parent company Transdev the largest electric bus fleet in Europe. The order also includes 18 VDL Futuras FDD2. It is the first time that double-deckers will be used for public transport in the Netherlands... All the buses and coaches are destined for the Amstelland-Meerlanden concession in the province of North Holland, a concession characterized by huge passenger demand. The 100 electric Citeas will be deployed for the bus lines serving Schiphol and the surrounding area and on bus rapid transit lines within the concession area... With a length of 14.1 metres, there is room for 86 seats. The door constructions will be adapted to the demanding public transport work. To optimize the flow of passengers and entry and exit, displays will be placed on the outside to show where free seats are still available...
(Photo: A VDL Citea-Electric double decker bus 2017) -- Valkenswaard, Netherlands - Busworld.org - 28 April 2017

Labels: busmakers news Europe, electric buses makers

ELECTRIC BUSES * Europe - By Solaris Bus and Coach S.A.

* Poland - First Solaris electric buses for France

--- By the end of this year, two Solaris Urbino 8,9 LE electric buses will arrive in the French city of Frontignon, on the south coast of the country. The emission free vehicles will use the traditional plug-in technology to charge their 160 kWh batteries. France will therefore become the eighth European country to use these products from Solaris... The city transport operator, Thau Agglo, decided to purchase the buses after the positive tests of the 8,9 meter Solaris buses which took place in the city in the beginning of 2017. Both buses will be equipped with several comfort and safety enhancing features, such as air conditioning, ecological LED lightening and monitoring system. The total amount of battery buses contracted by Solaris, including the two for Frontignon, has risen to 116. That puts the Polish manufacturer in the European top, regarding the electric buses sales...
Bolechowo, Poland - Busworld.org - 30 April 2017

Labels: busmakers news Europe, electric buses makers

SOLARIS BUSES * Europe: Ordered by Dutch's Connexxion

* The Netherlands - Solaris enters Dutch bus market

--- A total of 40 new Solaris Urbino 18 articulated buses will be ordered from Solaris by Connexxion, a large Dutch owned by Transdev. This is the first ever order won by Solaris on the Dutch market... Under the agreement 40 Urbino buses are going to be delivered by the end of this year. All vehicles purchased by Connexxion are articulated buses to be equipped with a well known Dutch engines – DAF. Propulsion unit comply with the strict Euro 6 emission standards... The new Solaris Urbino 18 buses will be used in region Amstelland-Meerlanden, within so called R-net public transport system...
(Photo: A new Solaris Bus "Urbino") -- Amstelland-Meerlanden, The Netherlands - Busworld.org - 23 April 2017

Labels: busmakers news Europe

MAN BUSES' * Europe: Purchased by MOVIA

* Denmark - MAN Lions's City GL CNG buses for Copenhagen

--- MAN Truck and Bus AG Trafikselskabet Movia (Movia), a major Danish public transport agency serving Copenhagen and the surrounding district is deploying 41 articulated MAN Lion’s City GL CNG buses on the new BRT line in the city’s north. Since Movia does not itself own any vehicles, Arriva will be operating the line on its behalf... With room for up to 150 passengers and five automatic sliding doors, the buses will help to speed up local public transport in Copenhagen as they run from Herlev through the city centre to the airport. With more than 20 million passengers a year and up to 75,000 passengers a day, the ‘City Line’ is the busiest line in the north of Denmark’s capital... The 310 HP (228 kW) city buses are fuelled with biogas. This means that MAN’s Lion’s City GL A40 CNGs have extremely low-emissions, making them a climate-friendly and economical mobility solution for urban transport...
Copenhagen, Denmark - Busworld.org - 16 April 2017

Labels: busmakers news Europe, public transport systems

BYD China * Europe: To build a factory in France

* Hauts-de-France - BYD to invest €10M in electric bus assembly in Beauvais

--- BYD Europe BV At a recent press conference in Beauvais, announced the Chinese group's decision to invest €10 million in a site in the town of Allonne, near Beauvais, in Hauts-de-France, intended to create an assembly factory for Europe... The project calls for around 100 jobs to be created in the initial phase. The production facility will occupy 32,000 sq m of a parcel totaling nearly 80,000 sq m, and will assemble up to 200 vehicles a year - single-deck buses and coaches - in its first phase. Other vehicles may be added as BYD expands its product line... Production is scheduled to get underway in the first half of 2018... BYD Europe, chose France because it has Europe's largest bus market...
(Photo: A twin- bus Pure Electric, by BYD) -- Schiedam, The Netherlands - Busworld - 24 MAR 2017

Labels: busmakers news China, busmakers news Europe, passengers transport industry

ALSTOM ELECTRIC BUSES * Europe: Are tested in the Ile-de-France region

* France - Alstom and NTL launch Aptis new electric bus

--- As cities are looking for smarter, more efficient and more connected means of transportation, Aptis has already attracted the interest of customers in Europe... In France, STIF has decided to launch two trials, one of which is with RATP. Aptis will undergo test runs in Paris and in the Ile-de-France region during the second half of 2017... Aptis’ unique and innovative design, based on that of a tram, incorporates low-floor accessibility and 360° views... Operators will benefit from a vehicle that is easy to maintain with the longest lifetime in its category... Alstom and NTL will provide not only the vehicle, but an entire system. It includes dimensioning, charging options, road infrastructure, leasing and warranty options, Buses can be charged at night in the depot, or rapidly at the end of each line during daily operations. Fast charging is either via inverted pantograph or SRS, Alstom’s innovative fast ground charging system... Thanks to low maintenance and operation costs and a longer lifetime compared to buses, Aptis has a total cost of ownership equivalent to current diesel buses... Aptis prototypes are being manufactured in NTL’s factory in Duppigheim, Alsace, with key components manufactured by five of Alstom’s sites in France...
Duppigheim, Alsace, France - Busworld - 14 MAR 2017

Labels: busmakers news Europe, electric buses makers

"BANDONEON" VEHICLES: BUSES or TRAMS ? * Europe: Belgium / Italy

* Belgium - Bi-articulated buses for Brisbane

--- Van Hool NV from Belgium, or Carrosserie Hess AG from Switzerland, electric-powered buses almost 30 metres long, could move Brisbane commuters in the new "metro" service announced by Brisbane City Council recently. "It is new-generation buses that would shift the people"... They are called "bi-articulated" buses and are common throughout Europe and South America (wheter are known as "bandoneon-buses")... The plans are to have a bus available every three minutes on two new routes which are particularly created for these buses... They would look like modern "bi-articulated buses" with three passenger sections and two rubber-lined joints, with the driver sitting in the front section. The Council is still reluctant to call them buses, arguing that while they would have rubber tyres, they would operate more like trams...
(Photo: Van Hool NV Carrosserie Hess AG Electric-powered buses) -- Koningshooikt, Belgium / Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - Busworld - 10 MAR 2017

* Italy - IVECO to supply 120 hybrid articulated buses to Milan

--- Italian bus and truck manufacturer Iveco will be supplying 120 new 18-metre articulated hybrid buses to Milan public transport operator ATM... The model auppled by Iveco is the Urbanway Hybrid, which was developed by the company to significantly reduce emissions and fuel consumption while ensuring increasingly-sustainable mobility for the community it serves. The Urbanway Hybrid consumes up to 30% less fuel than conventional buses, with reductions of 33% and 40% in CO2 and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions per kilometre respectively, compared with diesel buses... According to Iveco, the new vehicle combines an electric traction system with a Euro VI internal combustion engine and a latest-generation lithium-ion battery pack. The “Arrive & Go” function (a smart power management system) permits 100% electric operation with zero emissions when approaching and leaving bus stops, even where significant distances are involved... Another advantage of the Urbanway Hybrid is its complete silence, said the statement... All vehicles included in the contract are equipped with series-hybrid systems comprising a 175 (peak)/120 kW (continuous mode) electric motor and a 210kW Tector internal combustion engine...
(Photo An Iveco Bus) -- Milan, Italy - Busworld - 2 March 2017

Labels: articulated buses, busmakers news Europe, metro style bus systems, public transport Australia

EURO BUS EXPO 2016 * UK: November in Birmingham

* Birmingham - Euro Bus Expo 2016 opens at NEC on Nov 1; 120 vehicles on display

--- The biggest European trade event for the bus and coach industry - Euro Bus Expo 2016 is going to begin from November 1, and will continue for three days, at the NEC Birmingham... The three day show will bring together thousands of bus and coach operators, local authorities and stakeholders with 291 leading exhibitors. For 2016, there is over 10,000 sqm of vehicle space... Supported by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) trade association, the 2016 event is expected to welcome over 9,500 key industry buyers and decision makers from across Europe...
(Photo: Top suppliers on board for Euro Bus Expo) -- New Delhi, India - ETAuto - October 31, 2016

Labels: bus exhibition shows, busmakers news Europe

VANHOOL BUSES * Belgium: Open a factory in Kazakhstan

* Kyzylorda - Belgian VanHool Buses to be produced in

--- Kazakhstan plans to start production of VanHool buses based on the technology of the Belgian company which annually manufactures approximately 1,400 buses and coaches and as many as 4,000 commercial vehicles... The total value of the agreement on bus construction, which will be based in Kyzylorda region, is 10 million euro (US$11.3 million) and will be financed by both parties... Kazakh participation will represent one quarter of the total production, said Baikonur head Temirkhan Kenzhebayev. The operation is expected to attract existing car building and automobile manufacturers, as well as plastic and textile production companies. Kazakhstan’s share in the production process is expected to increase after the launch of the Kyzylorda glass factory... Kenzhebayev added the project could enhance the level of interest of European and American markets to import components made of high-quality Kazakh glass...
(Photo credit: vanhool.be) -- Brussels, Belgium - The Astana Times - 22 JUNE 2016

Labels: busmakers news Europe, busmakers news worldwide

CONCEPT ELECTRIC BUS * UK - New platform enters testing programme

* Oxfordshire - Extended electric truck and bus chassis

-- A revolutionary range extended electric truck and bus chassis from a new to the industry business begins its testing programme in the UK this month before being readied for commercial operations... The company involved, Charge R&D Ltd, has substantial financial backing from Kinetik, a new $500 million international investment company. Charge, headquartered in Enstone, Oxfordshire, UK, is developing electric powertrains for commercial vehicles and its platform offers game-changing driveline and vehicle solutions... It has two unique propositions that give it an edge over other solutions: cost and scalability. First, Charge’s product is expected to come to market at a price comparable to a conventional carbon fuel solution (excluding the battery cost); and secondly, it is designed to work in vehicles from 2.5 to 26 tonnes... Combined, these features will form an important part of Charge’s strategy to move the commercial vehicles market towards EV technology...
(Photo: A Charge electric truck 2 weeks ago) -- Enstone, Oxfordshire, UK - UKHAULIER - 6th October 2015

Labels: busmakers news Europe

BUSMAKERS NEWS * Europe / Belgium's: Van Hool - Germany's the Sprinter Van - Holland's VDL Bus & Coach - Italy's Solaris

* Belgium - Record American order for bus manufacturer Van Hool

(Photo: Van Hool T916 Acron Interiors, 35 Seats De Luxe bus)
Brussels,Belgium -Busworld -22 Oct 2014: -- Van Hool, Belgian manufacturer of buses, coaches and industrial vehicles, recently secured the largest global order in the company´s 67-year history. ABC Companies (in which Van Hool holds a 38% interest), the exclusive distributor of Van Hool in the United States of America and Canada, placed an order for over 1,000 vehicles. The contract concerns several coach types and has a total value of more than 300 million euro... The order´s first lot of vehicles is already being put into production in the 4th quarter of 2014 in Koningshooikt and will be delivered to ABC as of the 1st quarter of 2015. Around 300 coaches with high added value are being built in Koningshooikt and 700 standard coaches will be assembled in Van Hool´s recently-opened plant in Skopje, Macedonia. The contract’s execution will run through 2017... Van Hool is a Belgian independent manufacturer of buses, touring coaches and industrial vehicles. The company has over 4,750 employees worldwide, the largest share of whom of course works in the production sites in Koningshooikt and Bree (Belgium) and in Skopje (Macedonia)...

* Holland - Major order for VDL Bus and Coach: 164 Citeas for Arriva Netherlands

(Photo: VDL Citea LLEs)
Valkenswaard, the Netherlands -Car Bus Magazine (Belgium) -15 Oct 2014: -- Passenger Company Arriva Netherlands has a contract with VDL Bus and Coach bv signed for the supply of 164 public transport buses for the Dutch concessions East and West Brabant. The order consists of 89 VDL Citea LLE's and 75 VDL... The Citea LLE is an innovative, lightweight bus concept, designed specifically for the demanding conditions of city and regional transport... The Citea SLF is characterized by its lightweight construction which saves fuel and reduces emissions of harmful substances. The Citeas SLF for Arriva have a length of 12 meters and are equipped with 29 + 2 + 1 seats and maximum space for standing passengers... Arriva Netherlands is part of the Arriva Group, where Deutsche Bahn owns. It's a leading operator of passenger transport, operates in 14 European countries. With more than 54,500 employees and more than 2.2 billion passengers per year Arriva is one of the largest carriers in Europe. In the Netherlands, Arriva with 5,000 employees active in bus and train services in eight provinces...

* Germany - Mercedes Benz Vans produces next generation of the Sprinter in

Stuttgart,Germany -Busworld (Belgium) -20 Oct 2014: ... As the only manufacturer in the segment of large vans that is producing vehicles in Germany, Mercedes-Benz Vans will assemble the next generation of the Sprinter at its plants in Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde. For this purpose, Mercedes-Benz Vans will invest a total of €450 million in the modernization of the two German plants... The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has been a success story in the van business for almost 20 years now. It is the worldwide market leader in the large van segment and is delivered to customers in about 130 countries all over the globe. This makes the Sprinter a key pillar of the worldwide growth strategy "Vans goes global", which aims to systematically internationalize the division's business operations and exploit additional sales potential in the growth markets outside Europe...

* Italy - Further InterUrbino buses in

(Photo: Solaris Urbino Hybrid 12-City bus)
Biella,Milan,Italy -Car and Bus Magazine (Belgium) -21 Oct 2014: -- Solaris will deliver eighteen 12-metre InterUrbino buses to Italy. The buyer is an operator from Biella, a town north-west of Milan. This is another order from Italy for this very model of Solaris buses... The customer will receive all of them until the end of the year. The vehicles ordered are fitted with DAF MX-11 powered engines developing 271 kW, which meet the most restrictive Euro 6 emission standards. Up to 54 passengers are able to travel in the spacious InterUrbino and enjoy comfortable seats with reclining backrests and adjustable armrests. Air-conditioning in the whole passenger compartment ensures the pleasure of the journey even on hottest days. Moreover to increase the drivers’ comfort, their cabin is equipped with a separate cooling system. There is luggage space provided in compartments located under the floor, which have a capacity of 5.2 m3. Smaller bags fit perfectly in the luggage racks installed above the seats... For the benefit of passengers with mobility impairments, there an electric lift is installed in the vehicle next to the central doors.

Labels: busmakers news Europe