SUSTAINABLE BUS 2022-05

Sustainable 

US 

VADO E TORNO EDIZIONI 

www.vadoetorno.com - ISSN 0042 

Poste Italiane s.p.a. 

Sped. in a. p. - D.L. 353/2003 

(conv. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 

art. 1, comma 1, LO/MI 

AUTOBUS SUPPLEMENT 

MAY 2022 

HIGH-CAPACITY 

GAME 

OUTLOOKS 

Germany embarks 

on the ‘Decade of 

the e-bus’ 

LONG-HAUL 

A long way to go for 

long distance coach 

electrification 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT 

Ebusco, Irizar, 

MAN, Volvo, 

Mercedes, Solaris

Sustainable 

BUS 

CONTENTS 

4 

SUSTAINABLE-BUS.COM MAY 2022 

POST-IT 

Sustainable Bus Tour 2022 

Next step: economics of ZE buses 

6 

TECHNO 

Iveco with Enel X 

A MoU for cooperation in e-mobility 

8 

28 

8 

10 

14 

18 

EVENTS 

Public transport exhibitions are back, 

a sum-up of main European events 

OUTLOOKS 

Alternative drive bus market EU 

E-buses increased +50% 

The German way to electrification 

of buses. A crucial decade 

Long-distance coach operations 

Where diesel is still alive 

18 

22 

26 

28 

30 

32 

34 

36 

COMPARISON 

Articulated e-buses under the lens 

Six players at the last E-Bus Test 

Ebusco 2.2 LF 18 

The first fleet with pantograph 

Irizar ie bus 18 

The Basque aims at German market 

MAN Lion’s City 18 E 

Finally on the road! 

Mercedes eCitaro G 

Solid-state batteries, but not only 

Solaris Urbino 18 Electric 

Battery capacity? Upgraded 

Volvo 7900 Electric Articulated 

The e-bus model with the gearbox 

38 

PORTFOLIO 

All the electric buses 

on the European market 

36 

3

POST-IT 

www.otokareurope.com 

SUSTAINABLE BUS TOUR 2022: NEXT EVENT ON 19TH MAY 2022 

Tune in on the economics of ZEB 

TCO ASSESSMENTS & INNOVATIVE FINANCING MODELS 

A new breath in your city 

The Sustainable Bus Tour 2022 

was launched in mid-March with an 

extra webinar focused on the topic 

of charging infrastructure for electric 

buses. And now it moves ahead 

towards the first of a three-events 

series. On May 19th we’ll be broadcasting 

the webinar “New technologies 

/ new economics. Costs, trends 

and tools for the transition to zero 

emission buses”, with the goal of 

identifying best practices, outlooks, 

challenges and opportunities when it 

comes to financing and supporting 

the electrification of public transport. 

Fundings have been provided by the 

EU and administrations, the path for 

zero emission in public transport 

has been set through quotas. Technical 

issues have been left behind, 

financial issues are still in place: on 

one side we’ll pay attention to TCO 

assessments (and to the tools and 

technologies that may be adopted to 

reduced it), on the other side we’ll 

focus on how new financial schemes may be helpful to accelerate electrification. 

The opening will be by Bocconi University on the study they conducted 

with Enel foundation on TCO/TCRO current status and outlooks. Concerning 

the PTOs/PTAs session, TMB Barcelona and Transport for London will be 

contributing. Iveco Bus, Enel X, ViriCiti, Stratio and Volytica Diagnostics will 

be involved in the industry session. The mobility partnership with Transdev 

and Keolis group has been renewed. UITP will also be joining the virtual table, 

as the Sustainable Bus Tour is also featured by the EU-backed initiative Clean 

Bus Europe Platform, led by the international organization of public transport. 

On 19th May we’ll be broadcasting the 

webinar “New technologies / new economics. 

Costs, trends and tools for the 

transition to zero emission buses”. At 

the panelists’ table: Bocconi University, 

UITP, TMB, TfL, Iveco Bus, Enel X, 

ViriCiti, Stratio, Volytica Diagnostics. 

GOOD THE FIRST TAKE 

Mid-March event “Powering the future of public 

transport”, organized with Be Content Communication 

and supported by Hitachi Energy, 

focused on a 

concept that 

should be taken 

for granted: the 

‘battle’ of energy 

transition 

in public transport 

will be 

fought on the 

infrastructure’s 

terrain. 

It gathered 

contributions 

from cities embarked 

on the way to the transition to e-buses, 

such as Brisbane (Australia), and from PTOs 

represented in the German organization VDV. 

Finally, the point of view of the bus builder has 

been represented by Ebusco‘s CEO Peter Bijvelds. 

Hitachi Energy 

delegates addressed the 

topics of technologies 

and challenges from the 

infrastructure’s supplier 

perspective. Yes, we 

are quite an unbiased 

source on this, but we 

cannot hide the fact 

that the level of interest 

from the public transport 

world made us super satisfied: the webinar 

indeed gathered 1,530 registrations and 1,024 

live viewers from all over the world. 

100% Electric Zero Emission Minimal noise level 

4

TECHNO | INFRASTRUCTURES 

6 

IVECO PLANS TOGETHER WITH ENEL X 

Team work 

A DEAL FOR THE ELECTRIFICATION OF COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 

Iveco has signed a Memorandum 

of Understanding (MoU) 

with Enel X. Beyond this, the 

group has delivered batches of 

e-buses in Bologna and Principality 

of Monaco. In the Italian 

city, the group has provided a 

second 9.5-meter version of the 

E-Way, in the framework of the 

very first delivery of the e-midibus 

Europe-wide. 

The 9.5-meter vehicle features 

compact dimensions (9.50 metres 

long and 2.33 metres wide) 

and can carry up to 69 passengers 

(16 seated, 53 standing and 

one area reserved for the wheelchair). 

A 160 kW electric motor 

goes along with overnight 

chargeable 245 kWh lithium-ion 

batteries. 

Back to the deal with Enel X, 

under the terms of the non-binding 

MoU, the two companies 

«plan to explore a possible collaboration 

that will unlock the potential of e-mobility for commercial 

vehicles in Europe, with a focus on light commercial vehicles, 

heavy-duty vehicles and buses». Concerning battery partners, Iveco 

Group has renewed its partnership with French specialist Forsee 

Power, that has recently achieved the milestone of 1,200 e-bus battery 

systems produced. 

As a matter of fact, Iveco Bus made the choice for a different supplier 

for the future electric Crossway range, that will be leveraging 

on the partnership between Microvast and FPT. 

Daimler Truck join forces with IVU: public transport 

operators can now acquire the electric bus 

Mercedes eCitaro and software from a single 

source, on request. A current example of this 

is BSAG Bremen, where the delivery package includes 

the charging infrastructure and a charging 

management system. The e-bus together 

with software solutions from IVU becomes an 

eSystem. 

The IVU.suite software assigns each bus a defined 

charging point when it enters the depot. 

Smart charging management knows the current 

state of charge and makes sure that all buses 

are charged with the required amount of electricity 

for their next trip, including preconditioning 

of the battery and passenger compartment. 

The software knows the current state of charge 

as well as the target state of charge and time of 

SOFTWARE IS KEY 

First has delivered batches 

of e-buses in Bologna and 

Principality of Monaco. In the 

Italian city, the group has provided 

a second 9.5-meter version of the 

E-Way, in the framework of the 

very first delivery of the e-midibus 

Europe-wide. 

charge, the age and condition of the batteries, 

the available total power, ready-to-use charging 

stations as well as energy costs. Even the weather 

and the number of passengers are included in 

the calculation of the required amount of electricity, 

as are any opportunity charges along the 

route. The eCitaro is communicative and connects 

to the charging infrastructure via the ISO 

15118 protocol. 

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EVENTS 

8 

A RICH CALENDAR OF TRANSIT-FOCUSED EXHIBITIONS SCHEDULED THIS YEAR 

Public transport exhibitions – as in any sector – are back in 

2022. After two years of cancellations and postponements (with 

digital events in replacement) due to the pandemic, bus-related and 

transit-related European and global events are finally back. 

Let’s then focus our attention on the main public transport exhibitions 

scheduled in 2022, aware that the German BUS2BUS has 

already been ‘celebrated’ before this issue was printed. 

IT-Trans | Karlsruhe (Germany) | 10-12 May 2022 

IT-TRANS 2022 is going to gather the world of public transport 

Which will be the 

main European 

bus-related exhibitions 

this year? Sustainable 

Bus magazine 

will be displayed 

in the media corner of 

most of them! 

Back in person 

A SUM-UP OF EUROPEAN MAIN EVENTS 

in May for the eight edition of the biggest event of its kind dedicated 

to IT and digitalisation in the sector. Held from 10-12 May, 

the exhibition built on the collaboration between UITP and Messe 

Karlsruhe will host three days full of interesting and innovate output, 

across a rich Conference programme and Exhibition. 

From on-demand mobility and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) to 

autonomous vehicles and big data, technology moves fast and at 

the world-leading IT-TRANS Conference and Exhibition, the public 

transport sector will gather to exchange, discuss, and invent 

IT solutions and innovations that matter to the future of mobility. 

Busworld Turkey | Istanbul | 26-28 May 2022 

Busworld Turkey will be held in Istanbul on 26-28 May. The Turkish 

players – BMC, Karsan, Otokar, Temsa and Isuzu – will, as 

always, be the main players, presenting their innovations to the 

market. 

In March 2020, the last edition of Busworld Turkey welcomed 

7,935 visitors coming from 75 countries around the world who 

were received by 128 exhibitors. 

European Mobility Expo | Paris | 7-9 June 2022 

A handful of days later (7-9 June), it will be the turn of the Saloni 

Internazionali Francesi in Paris, where European Mobility Expo will 

be staged after a fully digital 2020 edition. This is an opportunity 

for a relaunch, not only for the organizers, but for the entire French 

market, Europe’s largest in terms of volume, which therefore deserves 

a rich exhibition stage. 

French manufacturer Safra has announced that it is going to launch 

a new fuel cell bus model, the Safra Hycity, at the fair. 

VDV-Electric Bus Conference and Elekbu | Berlin | 12-13 July 

In July, from 12 to 13, it’s back to Berlin for the VDV-Electric 

Bus Conference And Exhibition Elekbu, Germany’s biggest event 

dedicated to electric buses and their recharging infrastructure, which 

represent the present and future of the entire sector. It is no coincidence 

that the “Conference” attracts all the major manufacturers, 

operators and even utilities. 

IAA Transportation | Hanover (Germany) | 20-25 

September 2022 

At the end of the summer, again in Germany, but this time in Hanover, 

the IAA Transportation 2022 will be held (20-25 September). 

It’ll be a week dedicated to the international leaders involved in 

logistics and transport, both commercial and passenger. With an eye 

to the new trends in mobility, under the banner of sustainability and 

an emissions-free commitment. 

A new concept has been unveiled: the Hanover-based exhibition 

(formerly known as IAA Commercial Vehicles, with its last edition 

in 2018 before cancellation of 2020 fair) makes a further step with 

the goal of becoming a «leading international platform for logistics, 

commercial vehicles, buses and the transport sector». 

One of the key topics will be “Innovations in public transport”, with 

the topics of bus, electrification, hydrogen, ride-sharing, ride-hailing, 

MaaS, digital networking of existing services. Startups will 

be at the heart of the event: present in the pavilions, they will be 

the protagonists of a competition and of the IAA Startup Award. 

InnoTrans | Berlin | 20-23 September 2022 

InnoTrans is the world’s largest trade fair for transport technology 

and a media event of international importance: around 1,000 media 

representatives from 44 countries reported on InnoTrans 2018. 

Earlier this year the fair announced the following: «At the start 

of this InnoTrans year 98 per cent of the display area is already 

booked up. “The continuing high demand shows that after a long 

break the mobility sector is keen to come together again for the 

industry’s global platform in September 2022“, says Kerstin Schulz, 

director of InnoTrans». 

The thirteenth edition of the fair will take place from 20 to 23 September 

2022 on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. Covering 108,000 

square metres, exhibitors will display their innovations in all 42 

halls on the exhibition grounds in the segments Railway Technology, 

Railway Infrastructure, Public Transport, Interiors and Tunnel 

Construction. The Mobility+ displays form a new part of the Public 

Transport segment, where InnoTrans is targeting providers of supplementary 

mobility services. Currently, 18 exhibitors have regis- 

tered for this special segment, including ioki, Mobimeo, Optibus, 

Door2Door, Better Mobility and CleverShuttle. 

Next Mobility Exhibition | Milan | 12-14 October 2022 

Next Mobility Exhibition (NME) will be launched in Milan this 

year, from 12 to 14 October 2022. It’ll be the kickoff of a brand 

new format, with biennial appointment, dedicated to the mobility 

of the future. The exhibition, organized by Fiera Milano, will have 

as partners the three Italian trade organization focused on public 

transportation (AGENS, ANAV and ASSTRA) and will involve 

UITP and IRU. 

FIAA | Madrid | 18-21 October 2022 

In Spain, in the capital city Madrid, Ifema organises FIAA, now 

in its fourteenth edition. The event, housed in pavilions 7 and 9 of 

Ifema in Madrid, is backed up by facts and figures: the last edition, 

held in 2017, was attended by 10,041 professionals from 47 

different countries and featured presentations by 128 companies (a 

total of 240 registered brands). 

Euro Bus Expo | Birmingham (UK) | 1-3 November 2022 

After a three year wait, the UK bus and coach industry is anticipating 

the return of its principal trade show, Euro Bus Expo, taking 

place at the NEC Birmingham on 1-3 November. 

The show is expected to bring together 130+ vehicles from 

marques including Alexander Dennis (which will be displaying its 

double-deck hydrogen fuel cell-electric Enviro400FCEV), BASE 

Coach Sales, Equipmake, G M Coachwork, Ilesbus, Irizar UK, 

London Hire, MAN Truck & Bus, Nu-Track, Pelican Bus and 

Coach, PHVC Minibus & Fleet Suppliers, Scania (Great Britain) 

Ltd, Stanford Coachworks, Switch Mobility, Treka Bus and Volvo 

Group (UK) Ltd. 

Following the success of its debut at Coach & Bus UK 2019, the 

Zero Emission Zone will give visitors the opportunity to experience 

fleets of the future first-hand. The Zone will highlight the latest vehicles 

designed to entirely decarbonise passenger travel, to support 

the UK’s goal to reach net zero by 2050. 

Alexander Dennis, Equipmake, London Hire, Pelican Bus and 

Coach, Switch Mobility and Volvo Group are just some of the big 

names that will be demonstrating vehicles in the dedicated Zone – 

with more to be announced soon. 

9

OUTLOOKS 

ELECTRIC BUS MAREKT 2021. MERCEDES GETS ON THE PODIUM 

GOING HIGH 

The number of electric buses registered in Europe 

has smashed the 3 thousand units, thus making up 

over 20% of the city bus market. Here’s a close-up of 

the year that recorded a +48% 

More than one bus in five registered 

in Europe is electric. 

The 2021 share was 21.7%. 

However marginal (but increasingly 

non-negligible) this percentage 

reflects a steady growth versus 12% 

in 2019 and 15% in 2020. The 2021 figure 

is in line with the 22.5% zero emission 

bus quota set as a mandatory requirement 

in Western Europe’s public tenders in 

compliance with the Clean Vehicle Directive 

entered into force last year. In absolute 

numbers, electric bus registrations 

increased by 48% in 2021 as compared 

to 2020. Last year, 3,282 buses were de- 

livered, thus bringing to 8,500 the total 

number of electric vehicles registered in 

Europe since 2012. It must be noted that 

in 2021 for the first time three European 

countries crossed the mark of over 500 

new e-buses hitting their roads: Germany 

heads the ranking with 555 units, followed 

by the United Kingdom with 540 

and France with 512. 

Electric bus registrations 

increased by 48% 

in 2021 as compared to 

2020. Last year, 3,282 

buses were delivered, 

thus bringing to 8,500 

the total number of electric 

vehicles registered 

in Europe since 2012. 

It must be noted that in 

2021 for the first time 

three European countries 

crossed the mark of 

over 500 new e-buses 

hitting their roads: Germany 

heads the ranking 

with 555 units, followed 

by the United Kingdom 

with 540 and France 

with 512. 

OUT OF THE ELECTRIC 

BOUNDARIES 

Zooming in on buses with an alternative 

drive other than pure electric, hybrids 

recorded a slight increase in 2021 

(3,825 units, +12% versus 2020). 

A trend that’s driven by mild hybrid 

applications gaining ground in several 

countries where full or plug-in hybrid 

markets are not particularly vibrant (except 

for Belgium, where hybrids are vital 

to the energy transition of the transportation 

giant De Lijn’s fleet). 

As for CNG buses registrations, 

they’ve slowed down after two years of 

strong growth. 

3,088 natural gas buses registered 

in 2021 equals a 2% decrease 

versus 2020. 

Though the overall picture is not particularly 

exciting, it is worth noting that 

«the share of methane buses in the intercity 

segment is growing rapidly» as 

highlighted by Chatrou CME Solutions: 

out of the above-mentioned 3,000 registrations, 

864 were Class II and III vehicles 

(this was 539 in 2020). 

It’s a fact that the transition to a 

post-diesel era in public transport is 

now unstoppable: almost 60% of city 

buses registered in 2021 are equipped 

with an alternative drive system (versus 

53% in 2020, 39% in 2019). 

Who is leading the market? 

What about market leaders then? Solaris 

gets first place with 390 e-buses delivered, 

followed by the BYD/Alexander Dennis 

joint venture with 375 e-buses registered 

on the British market. In third place, Mercedes 

- a new entry to the e-bus podium. 

A good 333 eCitaro were delivered from 

January to December 2021. But 2021 was 

a landmark year for hydrogen buses, too. 

With 158 registrations, the segment grew 

by 236% - H2 vehicles delivered in 2020 

were 47. 

Wrightbus dominates the market with 71 

deliveries, Solaris follows with 37. 

Generally speaking, based on data collection 

and analysis by Dutch consultant 

Chatrou CME Solutions for the EU27 + 

United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway and 

Switzerland region, almost 60% of the 

city buses registered in 2021 was equipped 

with an alternative drive system; it 

was 53% in 2020, 39% in 2019. An unstoppable 

march. 

As mentioned in the opening lines, last 

year e-buses accounted for over 20% of 

the city bus market – the exact figure is 

21.7%. Looking at the breakdown by manufacturer, 

one can easily notice the market 

has been opening up to a larger population 

of players. 

In 2020, half of the market was in the 

hands of three groups alone: BYD, Solaris 

and Volvo Buses owned 20, 20 and 

10% of the market shares, respectively. In 

2021 instead, it takes five groups to make 

up 50% of the total market shares: Solaris, 

BYD – Alexander Dennis, Mercedes, 

Yutong (another surprise from last year) 

and Iveco Bus – Heuliez. The leader now 

holds just short of 12% of the market; it 

was 20% in 2020. 

Solaris stays in the lead with a number of 

registrations that’s pretty close to what it 

was in 2020 – about 400. The partnership 

between Alexander Dennis and Chinese 

BYD for the British market grew from 

190 to an astonishing 375 units (with the 

Shenzhen-based company stuck at 257 

after a great 2020). Mercedes’ (easily pre- 

10 

11

OUTLOOKS 

12 

dictable) leap forward can’t go unmentioned 

– the group delivered 99 buses in 

2020 and reached 333 in 2021 (+236%). 

Yutong, too, can call 2021 a glorious year, 

in which it almost doubled the 164 vehicles 

registered in 2020. The last winner in 

the list is Iveco Bus – Heuliez Bus, with 

274 deliveries (+140%). 

Delivery-wise, however, Irizar e-mobility 

is the fastest growing manufacturer: registrations 

skyrocketed +737% in 2021 vs. 

2020 (from 24 to 201 units). 

MAN’s been growing, too, with 134 deliveries 

equalling +436% as against 2020. 

Despite the great hype surrounding its 

listing on the stock market and the delivery 

of the very first 3.0 models, Ebusco 

settles at the back of the pack, losing one 

point of market share from 5% in 2020 to 

4% in 2021, albeit with a slight increase 

in volumes. 

Still lagging behind as it did in 2020 is 

VDL, the former market leader in the segment 

until 2019. The launch of the new 

Citea range, built on a platform specifically 

designed for e-vehicles with notable 

construction innovations – a floormounted 

battery, to name but one – is 

scheduled for the second half of the year. 

Now a look at how deliveries are distributed 

geographically. Very simply put, 

in 2021 the major European bus markets 

WHO GROWS, WHO FALLS... 

Registrations Trend Market share Market share Trend market 

2019* 2020** 2021** 2021/2020 % 2020 % 2021 % share 2021/2020 % 

Solaris 145 416 390 -6.3 18.8 11.9 -6.9 

BYD - ADL 79 190 375 +97.4 8.6 11.4 +2.8 

Mercedes 126 99 333 +236.4 4.5 10,1 +5.7 

Yutong 105 164 303 +84.8 7.4 9.2 +1.8 

Iveco Bus / Heuliez Bus 83 114 274 +140.4 5.2 8.3 +3.2 

BYD 236 424 257 -39.4 19.2 7.8 -11.4 

Volvo Buses 135 217 211 -2.8 9.8 6.4 -3.4 

Irizar 127 24 201 +737,5 1.1 6.1 +5 

VDL 386 127 178 +40.2 5.7 5.4 -0.3 

MAN 0 25 134 +436.0 1.1 4.1 +3 

Ebusco 102 109 132 +21.1 4.9 4.0 -0.9 

Bluebus 15 17 105 +517.6 0.8 3.2 +2.4 

SOR *** 51 60 +17.6 2.3 1.8 -0.5 

Golden Dragon *** *** 53 - - 1.6 

Optare 31 31 52 +67.7 1.4 1.6 +0.2 

Karsan *** 23 36 +56.5 1.0 1.1 +0.1 

Higer *** *** 36 - - 1.1 - 

Scania 0 1 15 +1,400.0 0.0 0.5 +0.4 

Others 115 178 137 - 

TOT 1,685 2,210 3,282 48.5 

* Registrations in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Romania and Slovenia are not counted 

** Registrations EU27+UK+ICE+NO+CH 

*** Figure not available 

Based on Chatrou - CME Solutions data on battery-electric bus registrations (excluding trolley buses) above 8 ton. 

EUROPEAN LANDSCAPE 

2020 2021 Trend e-bus registrations Share of e-buses on 

2021/2020 city bus market 2021 

Germany 350 555 +58.6 14.1 

UK 288 540 +87.5 44.2 

France 133 512 +285 19.2 

Denmark 1 217 +21,600 72.6 

Poland 196 215 +9.7 38.9 

Finland 25 190 +660 96.4 

Sweden 206 189 -8.3 60.2 

Italy 97 178 +83.5 15.3 

Netherlands 445 152 -65.8 80.4 

Spain 42 127 +202.4 14.0 

Norway 210 86 -59 92.5 

Bulgaria * 80 - * 

Romania * 65 - * 

Hungary * 46 - * 

Switzerland 7 37 +428.6 8.2 

Portugal 8 31 +287.5 8.7 

Luxembourg 38 29 -23.7 44.6 

Belgium 12 19 +58.3 3.7 

Others 152** 14 - - 

2,210 3,282 +48.5 21.7 

* Figure not available 

** Including, in addition to the data of the countries not mentioned in the table, also those of Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary 

Based on Chatrou - CME Solutions data on battery-electric bus registrations (excluding trolley buses) above 8 ton. 

Ebusco settles at the back 

of the pack, losing one 

point of market share from 

5% in 2020 to 4% in 2021, 

albeit with a slight increase 

in volumes. 

Still lagging behind as it did 

in 2020 is VDL, the former 

market leader in the segment 

until 2019. 

finally made it to the top positions in the 

e-bus delivery ranking, too. The situation 

until last year, with countries like Netherlands, 

Norway, Sweden scoring the highest 

absolute number of electric vehicles 

registered, and giants like Germany, United 

Kingdom and France lagging behind, 

was definitely peculiar. 

Tables turned radically in 2021: precisely 

half of the electric vehicle deliveries took 

place right in Germany, UK and France. 

The electric share of Class I deliveries 

– 21.7% at European level – reflects a 

patchy, diverse distribution picture that’s 

hard to even out. 

In four countries, e-vehicles account for 

over two thirds of Class I registrations: 

the Netherlands, Norway, Finland and 

Denmark. In Belgium, the cradle of European 

institutions where the Clean Vehicle 

Directive was ratified, electric buses are 

a scant 3% of the total city vehicle registrations. 

France and Italy settle around 15%, Germany 

reaches 20%. The United Kingdom 

does remarkably better: 44% of Class I 

registrations are electron-driven. 

13

OUTLOOKS 

CURRENT SITUATION AND FORECASTS ON THE GERMAN E-BUS MARKET 

THE DECADE OF THE E-BUS? 

THE AUTHORS 

Maximilian Rohs is Senior 

Manager Infrastructure & 

Mobility at PwC Germany 

(maximilian.rohs@pwc.com) 

Felix Krewerth is Associate 

Infrastructure & Mobility at 

PwC Germany (felix.krewerth@pwc.com) 

3,000 e-buses funded, over 550 units 

registered in 2021, a doubling expected 

in 2022. By 2030, 17,000 e-buses 

should be in operation. Consulting 

firm PwC outlines the scenarios of the 

German e-bus market 

In Germany, emissions from local public 

transport are to be halved by 2045 

compared to 2019. According to the 

recently updated climate protection 

program of the new German government, 

half of all German city buses are to operate 

with zero emissions by 2030. Based on the 

current fleet of approximately 34,000 city 

buses, this means there should be around 

17,000 zero-emission buses in operation in 

German cities – and any broader expansion 

in public transport will further increase this 

number. With the implementation of the 

Clean Vehicles Directive (CVD) into national 

law under the German Clean Vehicle 

Procurement Act (SaubereFahrzeugBeschaffungsGesetz 

– SaubFahrzeugBeschG), 

binding legislation for the transformation 

of bus fleets has come into force. This 

will result in a short-term market stimulus 

with an estimated potential of approximately 

2,000 clean – and thereof at least 

1,000 emission-free – public transport buses 

being acquired per year up to 2025. In 

the second CVD period (2026-2030), this 

potential will rise to approximately 3,000 

clean buses per year, including at least 

1,500 emission-free vehicles. However, to 

meet the Federal Government’s 50% target, 

municipalities, transport authorities 

and public transport operators will actually 

need to procure zero-emission buses in 

numbers exceeding the CVD targets. Such 

entities are currently standing by with their 

ambitious plans to see whether sufficient 

funding can be made available. 

3,000 e-buses funded 

Public transport is an essential component 

for ensuring affordable and sustainable 

mobility for everyone. The expansion of 

public transport services is a key prerequisite 

for achieving ambitious climate protection 

targets in the transport sector. The 

transformation of bus fleets to zero-emission 

drives will turn an already environ- 

mentally friendly means of transportation 

into a pioneering endeavor for climate 

protection. 

The transformation of bus fleets means that 

transport companies in Germany are faced 

with technical, operational and, above all, 

economic challenges. To support them 

in covering the additional costs of e-bus 

systems, the Federal Government, German 

states and the European Union have 

launched various funding programs. In 

this context, the Federal Ministry of Digital 

Affairs and Transport (BMDV) and the 

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and 

Climate Action (BMWK) are funding the 

procurement of electric bus systems. The 

BMWK’s funding program was launched 

in 2018 and the first third of the expected 

total of 1,600 e-buses has already been 

brought into service. Since fall 2021, the 

BMDV has also implemented its funding 

measures for the acquisition of buses with 

alternative drives (battery, fuel cell, trolleybus 

and gas) as well as the necessary 

infrastructure. Total funds of around €1.25 

billion are available through this program. 

Funding notices for the first 1,600 e-buses 

were recently issued and more will follow. 

According to the published 

plans and funding 

announcements, the German 

e-bus fleet will grow 

to more than 4,500 units 

by 2025. While the battery-electric 

drivetrain will 

continue to be the dominant 

drivetrain technology 

in the near future, fuel cell 

buses are catching up and 

will be growing at about 

twice their current rate by 

2025. A total of around 600 

FCEV buses are expected 

to be deployed by 2025. 

Based on plans already 

approved, a total fleet of at 

least 6,800 e-buses can be 

projected by 2030. 

THE RISE OF ALTERNATIVE DRIVE BUSES IN GERMANY 

Development of e-bus registrations by drivetrain in Germany 

Source: PwC 

14 

15

OUTLOOKS 

WHERE ARE WE STANDING RIGHT NOW? 

Fleet transformation efforts 

are now in top gear at many 

German public transport companies 

and many more are 

ready to start. However, what 

exactly is the current market 

situation in Germany? 

In Germany, a total of 1,269 

buses with electrified drives 

were in operation at the end of 

2021. This number includes only 

buses with an external energy 

supply, which are considered 

‘clean’ or ‘emission-free’ according 

to the CVD. The share of 

electrified drives has seen exponential 

growth over the last five 

years. This strong increase can 

be attributed to battery-electric 

buses in particular. Starting with 

just 24 battery buses in 2015, 

the number of such vehicles 

has almost doubled annually 

since then. By the end of 2021, 

there were 1,066 battery buses 

(BEV) in operation. While fuel 

cell buses (FCEV) are still playing 

a minor role in the German 

e-bus market, hydrogen is nevertheless 

having a significant influence 

on strategies and political 

discussions in some regions. 

In any case, only about 90 fuel 

cell-powered buses have been 

put onto German roads to date. 

The current dominance of battery 

technology is also visible 

in the current product range of 

OEMs. For example, no H2 articulated 

bus for urban transport 

operations is currently available. 

A larger FCEV bus fleet can 

be found in the Cologne area 

at the transportation company 

RVK Regionalverkehr Köln, 

for instance. Trolleybuses are 

currently used in the three cities 

of Solingen, Esslingen and 

Eberswalde. Although the new 

installation of a trolley system 

is currently being considered in 

a few more German cities, trolleybuses 

will continue to be of 

minor importance in Germany. 

Plug-in hybrid buses (PHEV) 

are quite rare in German public 

transport and the PHEV drive 

is increasingly becoming less 

important as BEVs and FCE- 

Vs become more marketable. 

It is worth mentioning that the 

switch to zero-emission buses in 

German public transport is not a 

task that is exclusively faced by 

major cities. A total of 116 municipalities 

have already brought 

their first zero-emission buses 

into operation or have expanded 

their fleets. The five largest German 

cities operate around 38% 

of all zero-emission buses in the 

country. At the end of 2021, the 

bus fleet of Berlin had 137 BEVs 

in operation, Hamburg 157 BEVs 

and two FCEVs, the city and region 

of Cologne 62 BEVs and 51 

FCEVs, Frankfurt am Main 41 

BEVs and Munich 25 BEVs. Regarding 

the top 5 cities in terms 

of the most e-buses, Hamburg, 

Berlin and Cologne are joined by 

Wiesbaden and Osnabrück. The 

latter can be viewed as forerunners 

in fleet electrification with 

regard to the share of electric 

buses in their bus fleet overall. 

In this way, the German government is 

supporting the market ramp-up of e-buses 

in public transport. Moreover, this funding 

is being met with high demand. 

2022: doubling expected 

Looking ahead to the current year of 2022, 

the number of e-bus registrations in Germany 

can be expected to double again. 

Published plans include an increase of 

around 1,000 e-buses, 900 of which will be 

battery buses. While the number of trolleybuses 

is expected to remain steady, BEVs 

and FCEVs will consistently continue to 

experience high growth rates. According 

to the published plans and funding announcements, 

the German e-bus fleet will 

Upcoming trends and challenges 

unlock the full potential 

of bus fleet transformation. 

First, standardization 

of e-bus-systems to reduce 

complexity and decrease 

acquisition and operating 

costs; second, digitization of 

e-bus systems and the use 

of data; finally, recycling and 

second-life concepts need to 

be rolled out with a focus on 

practicality and profitability. 

subsequently grow to more than 4,500 by 

2025. While the battery-electric drivetrain 

will continue to be the dominant drivetrain 

technology in the near future, fuel cell 

buses are catching up and will be growing 

at about twice their current rate by 2025. 

A total of around 600 FCEV buses are 

expected to be deployed by 2025. Based 

on plans already approved, a total fleet of 

at least 6,800 e-buses can be projected by 

2030. And these numbers are rising on an 

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE 

Future development of e-bus fleet in Germany 

based on published plans. 

Source: PwC 

almost daily basis as more and more cities 

and operators specify their plans. 

The two major cities of Berlin and Hamburg 

are the leaders in rankings for currently 

planned procurements. Nevertheless, 

medium-sized cities such as Kiel and 

Wiesbaden have already announced extensive 

plans to convert their entire bus fleets. 

The further growth of the German emission-free 

bus fleet will not be limited to 

these 5,500 additional vehicles by 2030 

as this figure is based only on plans that 

have already been announced. The bulk 

of decisions on fleet electrification has 

yet to be made and feasibility studies are 

currently being carried out in many cities. 

The market for alternative drives will 

continue to grow rapidly, not least due to 

the strong stimulus created by the CVD 

and the national targets being set by the 

German government. Upcoming trends 

and challenges will center around various 

approaches to unlocking the full potential 

of bus fleet transformation. Amongst 

these, we consider the following three the 

most important. First, standardization of 

e-bus-systems to reduce complexity and 

decrease acquisition and operating costs; 

second, the digitization of e-bus systems 

and the use of data present substantial 

opportunities for optimizing operations; 

finally, recycling – as more and more 

A total of 116 municipalities 

have already brought their 

first zero-emission buses 

into operation or have 

expanded their fleets. The 

five largest German cities 

operate around 38% of all 

zero-emission buses in 

the country. At the end of 

2021, the bus fleet of Berlin 

had 137 BEVs in operation, 

Hamburg 157 BEVs and two 

FCEVs, the city and region 

of Cologne 62 BEVs and 51 

FCEVs, Frankfurt am Main 

41 BEVs and Munich 25 

BEVs. Regarding the top 5 

cities in terms of the most 

e-buses, Hamburg, Berlin 

and Cologne are joined by 

Wiesbaden and Osnabrück. 

BERLIN AND HAMBURG LEAD 

Top five cities with additional e-bus-procurements 

until 2030. 

Source: PwC 

traction batteries are reaching the end of 

their lifecycles, existing recycling and 

second-life concepts need to be rolled out 

with a focus on practicality and profitability. 

German transport companies and municipalities 

are well on track with their extensive 

planning and efforts to meet these objectives. 

Nevertheless, they are dependent 

on financial support, especially in times 

strongly influenced by the consequences of 

the ongoing health and geopolitical crises. 

Overall, this means that, assuming that the 

envisaged amount of funding and support 

is made available, we will be able to look 

back on the 2020s as the decade of the 

e-bus. Maximilian Rohs, Felix Krewerth 

16 

17

OUTLOOKS 

Interact Analysis is a 

market research firm with 

a specific department for 

truck, bus and off-highway 

electrification. Here on 

Sustainable Bus Magazine 

we host a contribution 

from the research analyst 

Jamie Fox. 

ENERGY TRANSITION FOR LONG-HAUL COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 

WHERE DIESEL 

ISN’T DEAD YET 

74% of coaches are estimated to be nonelectrified 

in 2030 in EMEA region. In that 

segment, for a few years we’ll mostly see 

plans, targets and pilot projects 

Electric vehicles have proven themselves 

with early adopters and will 

now start to make serious inroads 

into the market for most vehicle 

types. This includes cars, urban buses and 

light and medium duty trucks. These vehicles 

are electrifying mainly because the total 

cost of ownership over a number of years is 

lowest for electric vehicles. 

Applications hard to electrify 

However, as battery electric vehicles sweep 

much of the on-road commercial market 

this decade, two applications are going to 

take longer to crack: intercity buses and 

heavy-duty trucks. 

The first of these is intercity buses, where 

the main difficulty is the long distance travelled. 

This requires a larger battery which 

can makes the up-front cost of the vehicle 

prohibitively expensive, even if there is an 

eventual payback period due to fuel savings. 

A second challenge is very limited supply. 

Bus manufacturers are focused on urban 

buses with their electric vehicles, and the 

supply of intercity battery electric buses is 

very limited. There is also an infrastructure 

challenge. It’s much harder to produce a 

network of charging stations across a country 

(what is needed for intercity buses) and 

much easier to just have one charging hub 

(as required for urban buses). 

Also, governments have given almost no 

attention, focus or policies towards electrifying 

intercity buses – which may make 

some sense as it is a low proportion of total 

emissions and not as easy to decarbonize as 

some other areas. In some cases, this is also 

because governments tend to play a closer 

role in urban transport systems than they do 

in long distance buses, perhaps because the 

free market naturally seems to handle the latter 

case better than the former. Governments 

are electrifying urban buses to meet climate 

goals, whereas private companies have less 

of an incentive to do so. Finally, air pollution 

is more of a problem in cities than on intercity 

routes due to the greater concentration 

of people. Yet another reason why it makes 

sense to focus on urban buses first. 

Where Western intercity buses do exist, they 

are often on short routes. For example, Dundee 

and Edinburgh in Scotland are 60-65 

miles apart, and Santiago and Rancagua in 

18 

19

OUTLOOKS 

Chile are only 55 miles apart. In both cases, 

the buses do a return trip without charging, 

allowing operation from a central hub and 

a similar size battery pack to an urban bus. 

These buses, one in Europe and the other in 

Americas, were provided by Chinese vendors 

Yutong and King Long respectively. 

The supply of such buses in the West is extremely 

limited. 

Our interviews with bus OEMs for our upcoming 

truck and bus report in May led us 

to conclude that we will see very little improvement 

in the outlook for intercity bus 

supply or demand in the short term. Intercity 

buses are forecast to be the last on-road vehicle 

type to fully decarbonize. 

What is happening in the truck field? 

While the intercity bus market may struggle 

to attract government attention and private 

investment due to its small size, the same 

cannot be said for the market for long haul 

trucks. To take the example of the US, only 

an estimated 1,742 intercity buses were registered 

in 2021 in the US, compared to an estimated 

175,583 long haul trucks (this is total 

vehicles of all powertrain and fuel types). 

Due to the larger market opportunity, electrifying 

long-haul trucks is attracting interest 

from OEMs and greater investment in internal 

research, development and production 

than intercity buses. This is clear from our 

discussions with OEMs. Components customers 

are also more focused on the truck 

market as the larger market. 

The large number of vehicles, and large size 

of each of these vehicles, means they make a 

large contribution to emissions that governments 

increasingly won’t be able to ignore 

as the decade progresses. This has also contributed 

to our forecast of decarbonization 

of long-haul trucks being slightly faster than 

long haul buses. 

However, the challenges for electrification 

of this vehicle type are harder than for any 

on-road vehicle type. The vehicles are very 

large and the technology is not very mature. 

While there is no fundamental obstacle, the 

LONG-HAUL COACHES: A CHANGE AFTER 2025 

2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 

Battery-electric vehicles 61 141 277 520 997 1,718 2,407 3,225 4,412 

Penetration rate (%) 0.2% 0.5% 1% 2.0% 3.6% 6.1% 9.1% 12.4% 16.3% 

Fuel cell electric vehicles 9 12 27 66 165 386 734 1,325 2,363 

Penetration rate (%) 0% 0% 0.1% 0.3% 0.6% 1.4% 2.8% 5.1% 8.7% 

Hybrid coaches 90 120 136 146 152 154 155 157 158 

Penetration rate (%) 0.3% 0.5% 0.5% 0.6% 0.6% 0.5% 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 

Non-electrified (mostly diesel) 25,617 26,361 26,635 24,860 26,063 25,895 23,018 21,278 20,132 

Penetration rate (%) 99.4% 99.0% 98.4% 97.1% 95.2% 92% 87.5% 81.9% 74.4% 

TOT 25,777 26,634 27,074 25,593 27,378 28,153 26,314 25,984 27,065 

EMEA intercity coach market by powertrain type. Units delivered annually. 

Source: Interact Analysis 

best precise architecture (e.g. battery location, 

type, size, transmission, number of 

speeds, E-axle or not) is still a matter for 

debate. Vehicles could not be produced in 

large volume in 2023 even if there were an 

unexpectedly high demand. 

Infrastructure is another big challenge, especially 

given that many truckers regularly 

cross borders requiring the use of different 

networks with different standards and payment 

systems. A network with high international 

compatibility, at least in Europe, 

will likely make sense but will be another 

challenge. Some OEMs are therefore working 

to a schedule of production beginning to 

ramp up around 2025 (our country forecasts 

project most countries to be at between 1% 

and 3% of long-haul trucks being battery 

electric in that year), with a third or half of 

their new vehicles being electrified in 2030. 

By 2040 we can expect that most or all new 

on-road trucks will be electrified, either with 

fuel cells or without. These timescales are 

already an advance on what OEMs and analysts 

such as Interact Analysis were forecasting 

two years ago. The current high prices of 

raw materials for batteries, and supply chain 

issues, caused by the pandemic and war in 

Ukraine provide no incentive to push forward 

those timescales again. 

Diesel still rules, why? 

2040 is a long way away. Forecasts for 2040 

are quite speculative and there may be technologies, 

legislation or even changes in public 

sentiment in 2040 that are impossible to 

imagine today. What we can really say with 

confidence is that diesel will certainly continue 

to lead – indeed, dominate – in the next 

few years. The combination of lower price 

vehicles, existing fuelling infrastructure, 

Some truck OEMs are 

working to a schedule of 

production beginning to 

ramp up around 2025, with 

a third or half of their new 

vehicles being electrified 

in 2030. By 2040 we can 

expect that most or all 

new on-road trucks will be 

electrified, either with fuel 

cells or without. 

Where Western intercity 

buses do exist, they are 

often on short routes. For 

example, Dundee and Edinburgh 

in Scotland are 60-65 

miles apart, and Santiago 

and Rancagua in Chile are 

only 55 miles apart. In both 

cases, the buses do a return 

trip without charging, 

allowing operation from a 

central hub and a similar 

size battery pack to an urban 

bus. These buses, one 

in Europe and the other 

in Americas, were provided 

by Chinese vendors 

Yutong and King Long 

respectively. The supply of 

such buses in the West is 

extremely limited. 

available supply and being a known and understood 

vehicle type give diesel too many 

advantages for now. And with legislators 

focusing on city environments where NOX 

can do more harm, diesel will undoubtedly 

still account for the largest share of longhaul 

heavy trucks in 2025. We also forecast 

diesel will still account for the majority of 

sales even in 2030, especially when we account 

for regions like Latin America, Africa, 

the Middle East and South-East Asia where 

the pace of electrification is very slow. 

In the next few years, for commercial vehicles 

in urban environments, orders for 

electric vehicles will start to shift towards 

purchases in the thousands rather than tens 

or hundreds. However, for long haul, news 

will mostly be restricted to plans, targets 

and pilot projects, showing that there is still 

some life in the internal combustion engine 

yet. In some countries with no electrification 

plans from their government and strong economic 

growth, it is even plausible that diesel 

may see a similar number of vehicles sold in 

2030 as 2020. Long haul will be the last onroad 

holdout for diesel, which isn’t ready to 

die yet. Jamie Fox (Interact Analysis) 

20 

21

COMPARISONS 

E-BUS TEST 2021. ELECTRIC 18-METER BUSES HEAD TO HEAD 

OVERSIZED SEXTET 

Electric 18m buses still form, in some respects, a niche market. 

So far, huge orders have targeted solo buses. The latest edition 

of the German E-bus Test contest organised by Omnibusspiegel 

magazine featured six models representing a market where all 

players have by now stepped on to the battleground 

Ebusco with the 18-metre sold 

in huge quantities to Transdev 

in the Netherlands, Irizar with 

a previously unseen articulated 

version of their e-bus, MAN and Mercedes 

with two models fresh from a podium 

finish in the 2021 German electric bus 

market ranking, Solaris with the evergreen 

Urbino, Volvo and their 7900 Electric 

Articulated. 

Among the novelties, Ebusco 18-metre 

with a pantograph – a specific requirement 

in the Dutch maxi-tender – and 

Volvo’s electric presence outside of their 

The picture shows 

the vehicles that took 

part in the E-bus Test 

2021 promoted by the 

German magazine 

Omnibusspiegel. In 

addition to the six 

vehicles examined during 

the contest, two vehicles 

attended the initiative (Van 

Hool A330 FC, first on the 

left, and a Mercedes Citaro 

retrofitted by pepper 

motion, formerly eTro-Fit, 

last on the right). Between 

the two, from left to right: 

Solaris Urbino 18 Electric, 

Mercedes eCitaro G, Volvo 

7900 Electric Articulated, 

MAN Lion’s City E 18, 

Irizar ie bus 18m, Ebusco 

2.2 LF 18. 

Credit pic: Omnibusspiegel 

22 

23

COMPARISONS 

FIGURES & FEATURES 

Ebusco 2.2 LF 18 Irizar ie bus 18 MAN Lion`s City 18 E Mercedes eCitaro G Solaris Urbino 18 Electric Volvo 7900 Ea 

Length mm 18,000 18,730 18,060 18,125 18,000 18,550 

Width mm 2,550 2,550 2,550 2,550 2, 550 2,550 

Height mm 3,200 3,300 3,320 3,400 3,300 3,300 

Front overhang mm 2,750 2,805 2,775 2,805 2,700 2,699 

Rear overhang mm 3,350 3,405 3,405 3,430 3,400 3,308 

Wheelbase mm 5,900 + 6,000 5,980 + 6,540 5,200 + 6,680 5,900 + 5,990 5,900 + 6,000 5,945 + 6,605 

Turning circle mm 19,978 20,328 24,100 22,970 22,950 21,500 

Entrance height mm 340/340/340 320/320/340 320/320/320 320/320/320 320/320/320 320/320/320 

Doors width mm 880/1,200/1,200 1,200/1,200/1,200 1,250/1,200/1,250/1,250 1,380/1,380/1,380 1,252/1,252/1,252 1,200/1,200/1,200 

Doors opening Electric Electric Electric Electric Pneumatic Electric 

Floor - ground distance mm 320 340 375 370 - 320 

Internal height mm 1,980 - 2,150 1,882 - 2,407 2,390 2,313 2,300 2,450 

Seats n. 46+1 47+1 45+1 42+1 42+1 51+1 

Passengers seats' model Kiel Ligero 1000 HF Kiel Esos - Daimler City Star Eco Kiel Citos 40 Kiel Esos 

Driver seat ISRI ISRI 6860/885 NTS2 ISRI Proactive 2 Grammer Linea ISRI 6860/885 NTS 2 ISRI 6860 NTS 2 

Standing passengers n. 104 39 64 81 58 65 

Passenger capacity n. 150 86 109 123 100 116 

Empty weight kg 20,040 22,410 22,250 20,650 21,010 20,680 

GVW kg 29,000 29,000 30,000 29,000 29,000 29,000 

customary boundaries (the Northern 

countries) usually stretching out, at best, 

as far as Benelux. 

E-bus challenge in Bonn 

We flew back to Bonn in late October 

2021. There, for quite a few years now 

the German magazine Omnibusspiegel 

has been hosting a press-related event 

aimed to gather state-of-the-art electric 

buses from one category for a whole 

week, during which the vehicles’ technical 

specs and behaviour are scrutinized 

through an intense series of static tests at 

the depot and service operation simulations 

along a city route designed for the 

purpose. 

The event is supported by Bonn’s local 

public transport company SWB, lending 

their depot facilities to the contest. This 

is actually not the first time articulated 

HVAC 

Air conditioning Thermo King Hispacold Eberspächer Konvekta UL 500 EM Konvekta UL 500 EM Valeo Revo E WP 

Cooling / heating power kW 38/76 23/21 25/25 28/28 20/18,2 25/25 

Heat pump Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 

Refrigerant R 407c R134a R134a R 744 [CO2] R 744 [CO2] R 134a 

Auxiliary heating Valeo Valeo Valeo Thermo 300 S - Eltop Valeo 

Auxiliary heating fuel Diesel Diesel Diesel/HVO - Electric HVO 

24 

Powertrain 

Brand model ZF AxTrax Alconza 2 Traton 2 x ZF AxTrax ZF AxTrax 2 Volvo 

Type Asynchronous Synchronous permanent magnet Synchronous permanent magnet Asynchronous Asynchronous Synchronous permanent magnet 

Layout At wheel hubs - 2nd axle Central - 3rd axle Central - 2nd and 3rd axle At wheel hubs - 2nd and 3rd axle At wheel hubs - 3rd axle Central - 3rd axle 

Power continuous kW 2 x 87 = 174 235 267 4 x 60 = 240 2 x 87 = 174 2 x 185 = 370 

Power peak kW 2 x 125 = 250 360 320 4 x 125 = 500 2 x 125 = 250 2 x 200 = 400 

Torque continuous Nm 2 x 357 = 714 2,300 2,100 4 x 357 = 1,428 2 x 357 = 714 266 

Torque peak Nm 2 x 485 = 970 3,500 3,500 4 x 485 = 1,940 2 x 485 = 970 400 

Batteries 

Formula LFP NMC NMC LMP (solid-state) NMC NMC 

Supplier CATL Irizar Traton Blue Solutions Solaris Akasol 

Cooling Water Water Water - Water Water 

Placement Rear and roof Roof Roof 2 rear, 5 roof 4 rear, 3 roof Roof 

Capacity kWh 525 560 640 441 553 396 

Usable energy kWh 408 505 512 353 443 316 

Charging power kW 240 150 150 80 120 150 

Chassis 

Front axle ZF RL 82 EC ZF RL 82 EC ZF RL 82 EC ZF RL 82 EC ZF RL 82 EC Volvo RFS-L 

Type Independent Independent Independent Independent Independent Rigid 

Max capacity kg 8,000 8,165 8,000 8,000 7,700 7,500 

Tyres 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 315/60 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 

Stabilized Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 

Central axle ZF AVE 130 (AxTrax) ZF AVN 133 ZF AVN 133 ZF AVE 130 (AxTrax) ZF AVN 133 ZF AVN 133 

Type Electric portal axle Portal axle Portal axle Electric portal axle Portal axle Portal axle 

Max capacity kg 11,500 10,000 11,500 11,500 11,500 12,500 

Tyres 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 

Stabilized Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes 

Rear axle ZF AVN 133 ZF AV 133 ZF AV 133 ZF AVE 130 (AxTrax) ZF AVE 130 (AxTrax) ZF AV 133 

Type Portal axle Portal axle Portal axle Electric portal axle Electric portal axle Portal axle 

Max capacity kg 11,255 11,500 11,500 13,000 11, 500 12,500 

Tyres 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 275/70 R 22.5 

Stabilized Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes 

battery-powered buses are put under the 

lens: back in 2018, three models were 

lined up on the North Rhine-Westphalia 

battlefield: Solaris Urbino, Bozankaya 

Sileo S18, VDL Citea; the snapshot of 

a market – and a technology – that were 

still miles away from reaching maturity. 

In 2021, like well-leavened dough, the 

number of participants has plumped up 

from three to six. Anyone missing? Easy 

to say: Chinese BYD to start with. Iveco 

Bus and VDL also skipped the date, 

despite being usual participants in past 

editions. As for VDL, the reason for their 

absence is easily found in the ongoing 

launch of an entirely new range, which 

we will see first-hand after the summer. 

So fasten your seatbelts, we’re heading 

off for a tour on the ‘extra-long’ zeroemission 

buses. Technical curiosities, 

anyone? We bet the table here on the left 

will satisfy them all. 

25

COMPARISONS 

EBUSCO 2.2 LF 18 

ALL ABOARD! 

Deliveries of the innovative 3.0 have started; 

in Bonn, a 2.2 articulated fitted with a 

pantograph held the stage. The driveline is 

by ZF. Passenger capacity stands out, thanks 

to a nicely low unladen weight 

All of the sector’s professionals are, 

though, shifting their attention to Ebusco 

3.0, the new generation model that, 

according to the brand, holds grandiose 

promises: 8.5 tons of tare weight 

thanks to aviation industry-derived 

materials, a driving range of over 500 

km, floor-mounted batteries.We said it 

“holds promises” on purpose, since the 

vehicle- showcased at the latest edition 

of Busworld (October 2019) – has been, 

so far, mainly the subject of photos 

and clips. The first delivery – heading 

to Munich – dates to late 2021. The 

Deurne factory, Holland, where it’s 

manufactured (the 2.2 is assembled between 

Australia and China) officially 

opened in October. The announced production 

capacity is 500 buses a year. 

Now back to Bonn. As said in the opening, 

what truly feels a bit disorienting 

is the roof-mounted pantograph specifically 

required by the Dutch tender. 

It’s no secret that Ebusco’s philosophy 

relies entirely on extra-large batteries, 

extreme driving range and depot charging. 

In this case, though, the fast-charging 

equipment (by Schunk) is matched 

with a 363 kWh battery pack, but a 525 

kWh option is available on demand. As 

for the battery composition, it’s LFP, 

which hints at Ebusco’s original close 

kinship with the Chinese market, where 

lithium-iron-phosphate dominates and 

where the Dutch brand has long been 

getting a large amount of its components 

from. 

The vehicle tested features a ZF axle 

with in-wheel motors, which is also the 

choice for the 3.0. 

There are 3 doors, but a fourth can 

be added on request. The heat pump 

is by Thermo King. Onboard there is 

enough room to accommodate 43 Kiel 

Ideo seats made of vandal-proof plastic 

material with fabric upholstery- a 

classic choice when it comes to local 

public transport. 

Again for indoor spaces, handrails and 

stop request push-buttons are provided 

for in abundance. The cab is pretty easy 

to clean, thanks to cantilever-mounted 

seatings. The quality of finish is, instead, 

unremarkable. Ebusco 2.2 proves again 

to be a bus with sober interiors, centered 

on substance. There are, though, 

USB ports for mobile device charging. 

It is worth mentioning that 

mirror cams were preferred 

over rearview mirrors: 

Stoneridge-Orlaco is the 

technical partner of choice 

in this respect. 

A no-frills approach 

The no-frills approach 

that’s typical of the Dutch 

company’s building philosophy 

is confirmed upon 

examination of the internal 

noise level: the structure is 

not free from creakings, the 

“whistling” of hub motors 

can be heard clearly when the bus is under 

maximum stress (maybe due to poor 

insulation) which is frequently the case. 

It is no coincidence that the 

choice to mount two electric 

motors on articulated 

buses is increasingly common, 

so as to limit uncomfortable 

noise but above all 

to curb energy consumption 

and optimise energy recovery. 

This is what MAN and 

Mercerdes do. The total 250 

kW of the two hub motors, 

by the way, are definitely 

not too much for an 18 metre. 

We end our tour sitting 

back on the driver’s seat by 

ISRI: the cockpit by Continental 

is digital and controls are nicely 

arranged; there is, though, not much 

storage space available to the driver. 

For the Bonn testing session, 

Netherlands-based Ebusco 

chose an articulated 2.2 model 

unit on duty in Transdev 

Nederland’s maxi fleet. A “specimen” 

sporting a roof-mounted pantograph 

for fast-charging – a rarity for the 

Dutch manufacturer. 

The 18m Ebusco 2.2 is one of the four 

versions of different length of the model 

launched in 2017, taking the legacy of 

the first 2.1 marketed a couple of years 

earlier (with a lukewarm reception). 

The company just landed a nice order 

in Berlin, where it won a 90 12-metre 

units tender (and an option for 60 

more). That’s quite an achievement for 

the German market – definitely not an 

easy one, now that national players are 

setting off headlong on the e-mobility 

path. 

Waiting for 3.0 

Some 60 Ebusco units have been circulating 

on German roads so far. At the 

end of 2021, the group was listed on the 

stockmarket, with a capitalisation of 

about 300 million euros. 

What feels disorienting 

is the roof-mounted 

pantograph required by the 

Dutch tender. It’s no secret 

that Ebusco’s philosophy 

relies on big batteries, and 

depot charging. In this case, 

though, the fast-charging 

equipment (by Schunk) is 

matched with a 363 kWh 

battery pack (a 525 kWh 

option is available 

on demand. 

26 

27

COMPARISONS 

IRIZAR IE BUS 18 

EYE-CATCHING 

This is the longest model among those 

taking part in the German contest: as long 

as 18.7 metres. The maxi battery pack has 

consequences on passenger capacity. 

Remarkably quiet operation 

A 

quick glance at the 18m units 

all lined up with pinpoint precision 

on the SWB forecourt in 

Bonn is enough to realize that 

Irizar would win the prize for the boldest 

choice of colours. 

Irizar e-mobility, the latest addition to the 

Basque group, took part in the German 

happening through its German-speaking 

markets dealer Jebsen & Jessen. The 

vehicle seen there comes from the batch 

delivered last year to the ICB operator in 

Frankfurt as part of a 9-unit (plus charging 

infrastructures) order won by Irizar 

version) and the latter designed for BRT 

applications or, anyway, preferably in the 

18m version. 

But things are far more complicated than 

that, because the ie bus is also available 

as an articulated model, and – what’s even 

more peculiar - the ie tram can put on a 12 

meter livery. 

A configuration that is unusual in all respects 

for a vehicle that features a BRT 

layout. 

Irizar e-mobility made a significant investment 

in Aduna – Basque Countries 

- not far from the Group’s 

headquarters - where a manufacturing 

plant for zero 

emission commercial vehicles 

(not only buses, Irizar’s 

product list includes the 

garbage collector ie truck) 

was inaugurated in 2018. A 

plant that can boast a maximum 

production capacity of 

1,000 vehicles a year. 

18.7 meters in length, the 

articulated ie bus features 

a central motor by Alconza, 

hence produced in-house 

by the Irizar Group – something 

that sets the basque 

brand apart from its competitors. 

A motor with an 

extremely quiet operation 

– due, amongst others, to a 

clearly effective insulation 

strategy. 

The synchronous, water-cooled 

motor can deliver 236 kW of 

continuous power and a 2,300 Nm torque. 

On a sidenote: the motor by Alconza 

comes as standard 

on articulated models, 

while for 12 

metres or shorter 

units (such as the 

ones in Genoa) Siemens 

is the partner 

of choice. Axles 

are made by ZF. 

Battery capacity 

reaches 560 kWh 

(505 usable). A 

very large supply 

that does, however, 

affect passenger capacity, curbed by the 

unladen weight (a good 22 ton). The bus 

version on display in Bonn can host only 

a maximum of 86 passengers onboard. 

Entrance doors are three, all double. Front 

doors have inward mechanism, while mid 

and rear are outswing 

doors. A configuration 

with four 

doors is also available. 

Inside are 

cantilever mounted 

seats by Kiel. The 

bus seen in Bonn 

features 47 seats. 

Air conditioning is 

provided by a Hispacold 

system with 

heat pump: cooling 

power is 23 kW, 

while heating power is 21. The model analysed 

here is also equipped with an auxiliary 

diesel-fuelled heating system. 

There’s a plugin 

connector for 

charging. As said in 

the opening paragraph, 

the German 

tender included 

the charging infrastructures, 

entrusted 

to Jema Energy, 

another subsidiary 

of the Irizar Group. 

The driver seat is 

by ISRI. Visibility 

from the driver’s 

angle is excellent. 

Safety systems are remarkable and include 

mirror cams by Vision System in 

lieu of rearview mirrors and an anti-collision 

system with blind spot monitor Mobileye 

Shield+. 

for their ie bus in a previously unseen 

articulated version. Which is unusual, 

given that Irizar’s offer for zero-emission 

articulated vehicles includes that ie tram 

that’s generally the preferred choice for 

networks with a high loading capacity. 

Irizar e-mobility dual offer 

In short, it is commonly thought that the 

“binary” offer of the Basque group - ie 

bus plus ie tram - is based on a clear allocation 

of responsibilities, with the first 

being mostly chosen in a solo configuration 

(there are 14 in Genoa in the 10.8 m 

18.7 meters in length, 

the articulated ie bus 

features a central motor 

by Alconza, produced 

in-house by the Irizar 

Group. A motor with 

an extremely quiet 

operation – due, amongst 

others, to a clearly 

effective insulation 

strategy. It can deliver 

236 kW of continuous 

power. 

28 

29

COMPARISONS 

MAN LION’S CITY 18 E 

SLOWLY AHEAD 

Battery capacity is unrivalled in this segment 

(and has no negative impact on the liveability 

of interiors) The electric offer of the Lionbranded 

manufacturer is taking shape, and 

will soon be enriched with a pantograph 

a minimum range of battery capacity 

options. A capacity that today, with no 

possible deviations, settles at 480 kWh 

for the 12m and 640 for the articulated 

version. The other novelty from the 

Lion brand is again related to batteries: 

a different IT setting will be available 

in order to maximize their efficiency. 

The current standard portion of kWh 

that can be used amounts to 65%, but it 

is possible to set a new utilization “window” 

at 80%. Which will be more demanding 

for batteries, and yet useful to 

provide extra mileage 

as needed due 

to circumstances or 

mission profiles. 

Another feature of 

MAN Lion’s City E 

is its two drive axles. 

Which means: 

more power, but 

also enhanced 

braking energy recovery. 

The motor is central 

and developed 

in-house. The kWh 

available are 640, 

as already mentioned. 

A spec, this 

latter, that enables 

the Lion brand to 

grab first place in 

the German test’s 

kWh ranking. The 

battery packs – 

eight in total – are 

roof-mounted, so that no space is taken 

away from the compartment. 

Bright interiors 

Which, indeed, looks totally unencumbered 

and well-lit, with a nice layout 

and a wide rear window. Interior finishing 

is top quality. To make the roof 

fit to withstand the weight of such an 

amount of kWh, the structure needed 

to be reinforced with steel inserts along 

the two rear pillars and on wheel arches. 

Up to 120 passengers can be accommodated 

onboard. 

As said in the opening lines, during 

the year the “top-down” pantograph 

option will be included in the product 

list. Which means: the bus will be fitted 

with charging rails, while the mobile 

panto arm won’t be found on the roof, 

but at the end of the charging station. 

When the vehicle 

comes in 

for charging, 

the arm is lowered 

onto the 

bus charging 

rails to feed it 

with energy. 

As stressed by 

the bus business 

unit head 

Rudi Kuchta, 

the aim is not 

to provide for 

flash charging, 

but to offer «one more option for depot 

charging». 

Heating is entrusted to the roof-mounted 

Valeo heat pump, while Eberspächer 

takes care of air 

conditioning. 

The next frontier 

- as of the second 

quarter of 

this year - is the 

introduction of 

the CO2 air conditioning 

system 

already found 

on Mercedes 

and Solaris buses. 

An auxiliary 

diesel-fuelled 

heating system 

is available on request. 

Seen for the first time at trade 

shows as far back as 2018, 

on the market since last year, 

MAN’s electric bus has slowly 

proven its value landing the first orders 

on the domestic market. The major order 

for “bendies” came from the North: 

between the second and fourth quarters 

of this year, as many as 75 Man Lion’s 

City E are heading off to Goteborg and 

Stockholm, Sweden (with an option for 

a further 75). So the Lion brand’s onslaught 

has begun, albeit with a slight 

delay compared to its competitors. Last 

year, MAN got third place on the national 

e-bus sales market leaders podium. 

New battery options are coming 

The main novelty from last year’s second 

half regarding the Lion brand’s offer 

is, somehow, a step back: the Munich 

based group that entered the zero-emission 

bus market relying explicitly on 

extra-large batteries and plug-in charging 

has announced that a top-down 

pantograph will soon be available as an 

option. A novelty that will necessarily 

go hand in hand with the availability of 

During the year the “topdown” 

pantograph option 

will be included in the 

product list. Which means: 

the bus will be fitted with 

charging rails, while the 

mobile panto arm won’t be 

found on the roof, but at the 

end of the charging station. 

The aim is to offer «one 

more option for 

depot charging». 

30 

31

COMPARISONS 

on a LMP formulation 

and have 

a 25% higher 

energy density 

versus the most 

advanced lithium-ion 

batteries. 

In short, customers 

will be able to 

choose between 

NMC batteries 

with a maximum 

onboard capacity 

of 396 kWh 

(provided by the 

twelve Akasystem 

Oem 50 Prc 

packs) and solid-state, 

reaching 

441 kWh (split 

among seven 

modules). 

MERCEDES ECITARO G 

AT SOLID-STATE 

Starring early this year in an Italian 

roadshow, the eCitaro G offers solid 

state Blue Solutions batteries as an 

option. The standard equipment now 

includes two drive axles by ZF 

spin-off became operational in December 

2021) chose the well-proven technology 

of the ZF in-wheel motor axle. 

As of this year, two drive axles will be 

offered as standard (this was previously 

only an option) What about batteries? 

In addition to the Akasol-branded 

NMC modules, the solid-state batteries 

patented by French Blue Solutions 

(Bollorè group) are available on 

request. They were fitted on the bus 

that “clocked in” in Bonn. Solid state 

batteries are cobalt-free; they’re based 

Have you said 

“solid-state”? 

It has to be reported, 

though, 

that a few accidents 

had a 

pretty negative 

effect on the popularity of the French 

technology, with the first exemplars on 

service in Wiesbaden being recalled by 

the headquarters for a technical checkup 

and a few cases in which the batteries 

caught fire during charging (in 

Stuttgart, last October, and recently 

in Paris, where a RATP’s Bluebus was 

involved in a blaze). The exact causes 

for the accidents are, though, still to be 

ascertained. 

As for the position of the charging 

sockets, there are three possibilities: 

standard on the front - right side, op- 

tionally on the 

left or below the 

rear hatch. 

In addition to 

the usual depot 

charging – Daimler’s 

preferred 

choice – the vehicle 

can also 

be equipped 

with a conventional 

panto or 

roof-mounted rails for charging with 

top-down pantograph. 

Air conditioning 

is zero emission, 

based on the 

Konvekta system 

using CO2 as a 

coolant. 

Active safety remains 

a pillar of 

the group’s activities, 

as one 

can see from the 

Sideguard assist 

and Preventive brake assist systems 

available as an optional. 

The eCitaro G interiors and 

structure fit in the same footprint 

as its ICE counterpart. 

The roof, in particular, derives 

from the gas fuelled Citaro G 

NGT but has battery packs where gas 

tanks were found. Up to 145 passengers 

can hop aboard, 10 less than on 

the diesel bus, provided it’s the 8-battery 

pack version. Choosing the largest 

battery configuration with 12 packs, 

passenger capacity gets reduced to less 

than 130. 45 is the maximum seating 

capacity. 

As already said, the interiors are the 

same as on a conventional Citaro. The 

choice to arrange four battery packs 

on the bus rear section has the consequence 

to keep the engine tower unaltered, 

which has a considerable impact 

on the internal space layout. 

After the spin-off 

The remaining modules, from four as 

a minimum (standard equipment) to 

eight, are placed on the roof. 

As for the drive system, the group (now 

referred to as Daimler Truck after the 

Customers will be able 

to choose between NMC 

batteries with a maximum 

onboard capacity of 396 

kWh (provided by the 

twelve Akasystem Oem 50 

Prc packs) and solid-state, 

reaching 441 kWh (split 

among seven modules). It 

can also be equipped with a 

conventional panto or roofmounted 

rails. 

32 

33

COMPARISONS 

SOLARIS URBINO 18 ELECTRIC 

MARKET LEADER 

A blockbuster on the European market, 

Solaris’ product list includes an 18 m with 

different motor and battery options. The 

one examined hereunder features a ZF axle 

and NMC battery packs by BMZ 

pable of absorbing more charging power 

with a lower energy density. Going back 

to the bendy, it features seven packs, three 

on the rear section and four on the 

back of the roof. 

Air conditioning is CO2-based 

The bus is fit for depot charging and is 

driven by the axle with in-wheel motors 

ZF AxTrax, that is, anyhow, only one of 

the options made available by the manufacturer: 

a central electric motor is a 

lso provided. 

Among the new features of the model 

seen in Bonn, the air conditioning system 

based on Konvekta technology, 

using CO2 as a coolant. The same system 

is also found on Mercedes eCitaro, 

since it allows to minimize energy 

demand for batteries. The cooling power 

is 20 kW, while it’s 18 for heating, 

entrusted to an electrically powered 

heat pump. 

The compartment can accommodate 42 

seats, and a total number of passengers 

just short of a hundred. 

The dashboard is entirely digital, with 

touch-screen controls. The driver’s 

seat is worthy of note for its space, easily 

accessible controls, forward and 

side visibility. 

The Urbino also successfully passed 

the manoeuvrability, driving comfort 

and starting behavior tests. Active safety 

is implemented through the MobileyeShield+ 

system, monitoring blind 

spots and warning the driver if pedestrians, 

cyclists or other road users 

are detected. 

The electric 18 metre by Solaris 

is definitely not new, but rather 

a well-established solution on 

the European market. Probably 

the most well-established of all, in this 

size. 

Namely, a Solaris Urbino 18 Electric had 

already taken part in Bonn’s E-bus test 

in late 2018. 

A first comment can’t, therefore, but be 

on battery capacity: back then, the bus 

had 300 kWh of energy aboard, while 

the current amount is 553. This is the 

quantity of kWh that’s found on the bus 

tested, straight from the local transport 

operator’s fleet. An increase of 84% 

that’s made possible by the NMC batteries 

supplied by BMZ (they’re produced 

expressly for Solaris under the label Solaris 

High Energy +). 

The leap forward of battery capacity 

After a couple of years serving as a 

“deluxe” option versus the conventional 

High Energy equipment, now BMZ 

battery packs have become standard. For 

buses that are fit for fast charging, there 

are also the LTO batteries by Impact, ca- 

The compartment can 

accommodate 42 seats, 

and a total number of 

passengers just short of a 

hundred. 

The dashboard is entirely 

digital, with touch-screen 

controls. The driver’s seat 

is worthy of note for its 

space, easily accessible 

controls, forward and 

side visibility. 

34 

35

COMPARISONS 

VOLVO 7900 ELECTRIC ARTICULATED 

NEW LANDS 

Volvo’s electric range is ready to enhance 

its penetration in Europe. At the Bonn 

test, Volvo deployed a 7900 EA with over 

500 kWh in batteries. Distinctive marks? 

A two speed gearbox 

coincidence. 

Proudly on display on SWB’ s forecourt 

was a bus borrowed from Stuttgart. 

In addition to the usual 12-metre, Volvo 

Buses’ electric range includes articulated 

buses in two sizes: 18 (17,849 mm, is the 

actual length) and 18.7 m (18,550 mm: 

the bus seen in Germany was this long). 

Design and development activities are 

currently underway to add a short bus to 

the offer – 10.5 m. 

The range was updated at Busworld 2019. 

Under the spotlight in Brussels, the new 

driveline was ushered in: it features two 

central motors produced in-house (totalling 

400 kW of power) linked to a single 

drive axle by means of a two-speed 

transmission. And here is where the main 

special characteristic of the Swedish 

electric bus comes to the fore: it is truly 

one-of-a-kind. 

E-bus with gearbox? 

As explained by the manufacturer, this 

choice is aimed to enable the motor’s 

maximum performance, and it is applied 

to truck projects, too. On the other hand, it 

represents an ‘add’ in terms of complexity 

from the mechanical’s perspective. 

It’s a fact that the passenger and driver 

compartments are no doubt noteworthy 

for the absence of noise, which reflects a 

successful driveline optimisation. 

All the battery packs are placed onto the 

roof. The total max capacity is 564 kWh 

(516 of which are actually usable). As is 

known to professionals in the field, but 

seldom mentioned in public, they are supplied 

by the Akasol group, that recently 

joined the galaxy of companies owned 

by American titan 

BorgWarner. 

The charging 

modes can’t 

but include fast 

charging with 

roof-mounted 

pantograph, 

following the 

OppCharge paradigm 

that saw 

Volvo as one of 

its greatest supporters 

already 

in the past. So operators can opt for depot 

charging via plug-in cable (max power 

150 kW) or, equally, for roof charging 

that can develop 450 kW of power. 

The compartment features three entrance 

doors, all double. The 51 seats are designed 

by Kiel (Esos model) The space 

for wheelchairs, placed before the central 

door, is maybe a bit tight. Maximum passenger 

capacity is 

116, a figure that 

earns respect and 

it’s guaranteed 

by a low empty 

weight (20 tons) 

especially when 

considering that 

the bus is equipped 

with an extra-large 

battery. The driver 

can enjoy an ISRI 

seat with plenty of 

different settings. 

The cockpit meets all the requirements 

set by the German association of local 

public transport companies VDV. The 

control panel combines analogue and 

digital elements. 

The days of Volvo’s (deeply felt) 

absence from huge electric vehicle 

orders in central Europe 

may be numbered. Volvo not being 

present in the Class I segment on a 

market like the German one – the biggest 

of our continent together with France – 

was about to become quite a relevant gap 

now that the energy transition has started 

being taken seriously in Berlin. 

Ready for Germany? 

Just a couple of data on Germany’s electric 

vehicle progress. The first is the +58 

percent in the number of e-bus registrations 

versus the previous year (from 350 

to 555). 

The second piece of data has the single 

European currency symbol next to it, and 

it’s the one billion 250 million euros of 

financing allocated by the federal government 

(with the approval of the EU) 

to support investments into electric fleets 

and relevant infrastructures, from now up 

to 2024. 

The first ever participation of Volvo in 

Bonn’s event in late 2021 is, therefore, no 

The driveline features two 

central motors produced 

in-house (totalling 400 kW 

of power) linked to a single 

drive axle by means of a 

two-speed transmission. 

And here is where the main 

special characteristic of the 

Swedish electric bus comes 

to the fore: it is truly 

one-of-a-kind. 

36 

37

PORTFOLIO 

ALL THE ELECTRIC BUS MODELS ON THE EUROPEAN MARKETS. 

BATTERY-ELECTRIC / HYBRID / FUEL CELL / IMC TROLLEYBUSES 

ADL 

Blueblus 6 

Length mm 5,940 

Passenger capacity n. 35 

Motor type / kW Central / 140 

Battery 

Blue Solutions / LMP 

Battery capacity max kWh 126 

Charging technology 

plug-in 

Midibus 8.7 


Passenger seats n. 22 

Motor / output kW BYD / 90x2 

Battery type 

BYD / LFP 

Battery capacity max kWh - 


plug-in 

Enviro400 (mild hybrid) 

Length mm 10,500 / 10,900 


Electric motor / output kW ADL/14 

Battery type 

supercap 


Diesel engine 

CumminsB6.7 

kW 187 

Enviro400H (full hybrid) 

Length mm 10,500 / 10,900 


Electric motor / output kW BAE/195 

Battery type 

ultracap 


Diesel engine 

CumminsB4.5 

kW 157 

Blueblus 12 



Motor type / kW Central / 160 

Battery type Blue Solutions / LMP 



plug-in 

BMC 

12-18 eBus 

Length mm 12,200 / 18,250 

Passenger seats n. - 


Battery type 

BYD / LFP 



plug-in 

Enviro400HR 

(plug-in hybrid) 

Length mm 10,500 / 10,900 


Electric motor / output kW BAE/195 

Battery type 

NMC 


Diesel engine 

CumminsB4.5 

kW 157 

BOLLORÉ 

Neocity EV 



Motor / kW TM4 Sumo MD / 235 

Battery type 

BMZ / NMC 

Battery capacity kWh 174 - 219 


plug-in 

BYD 

C9 (coach) 


Passenger seats n. - 


Battery type 

BYD / LFP 

Average range km 90 


plug-in 

BYD ADL 

38 

Enviro200EV 

Length m 9.6 / 10.2 / 10.9 / 11.6 



Battery type 

BYD / LFP 



plug-in

PORTFOLIO 



EBUSCO 

HESS 

THE GREEN WAY BY MENARINI 

Enviro400EV 




Battery type 

BYD / LFP 



plug-in 

CAETANOBUS 

Ebusco 2.2 - 12m LE/LF 



Motor / kW ZF / 250 

Battery type 

LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 363/423/525 

Charging technology plug-in/pant. 

Ebusco 2.2 - 12,9m LE 




Battery type 

LFP 



lighTram 19/25 DC 

Length mm 18,750 / 24,750 

Passenger capacity n. 155 / 224 

Motor / kW TSA / - 

Battery type - 


Charging technology pantograph 

HEULIEZ 

e.City Gold 10/12 

Length mm 10,700 / 12,000 


Motor / output kW Siemens / 180 

Battery type 

NMC / LTO 



H2 City Gold 10/12 (hydrogen) 

Length mm 10,700 / 12,000 


Motor / kW Siemens / 180 

Battery type 

LTO 

Fuel cell system 

Toyota 

Estimate range km 400 

DELTABUS 

Ebusco 2.2 - 13.5 m LE 




Battery type 

LFP 



Ebusco 2.2 - 18m LF 




Battery type 

LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 363/525 


GX 137C Elec 



Motor / kW BAE Systems / 160 

Battery type Forsee Power NMC 



plug-in 

GX 137L Elec 




Battery type Forsee Power NMC 



plug-in 

GX 337 Elec 




Battery Forsee Power LTO / NMC 

Battery capacity max kWh 88 / 350 

Charging technology plug-in / pant. 

Mark E 



Motor / kW - 

Battery type 

LMP 


Estimate range km 300 

Ebusco 3.0 


Passenger n. 95 

Motor / kW Ebusco / 250 

Battery type 

LFP 



GX 437 Elec 




Battery Forsee Power LTO/NMC 



industriaitalianaautobus.com 

40

PORTFOLIO 



HIGER 

IVECO BUS 

Urbanway Hybrid 12/18 

Length mm 12,000 / 17,910 

Passenger seats n. 36/49 

Motor / kW BAE / 140 - 200 

Battery type 

NMC 


Diesel engine Tector 7 235 kW 

IRIZAR E-MOBILITY 

Steed 



Motor / kW - 

Battery type 

CATL / LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 174 / 210 


plug-in 

Azure 



Motor / kW Prestolite MD130D / - 

Battery type 

CATL / LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 355 


plug-in 

E-WAY Full Electric 9.5 



Motor / kW BAE Systems /160 

Battery type 

NMC 



plug-in 

E-WAY Full Electric 12 


Passenger seats n. 24/26 

Motor type / kW Synchr. / 190 

Battery type 

LTO/NMC 

Battery capacity max kWh 385/88 


E-WAY Full Electric 18 



Motor type / kW Synchr. / 190 

Battery type 

LTO 



ie bus 10,8/12 

Length mm 10,850 / 12,160 


Motor / output kW Irizar / 180 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



ie bus 15/18 

Length mm 14,980 / 18,730 

Passenger capacity n. 105 / 155 

Motor / kW Irizar / 235 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



CHARGE, 

OPERATE 

& MAINTAIN 

YOUR 

BUS FLEET 

IIA 

Crealis In-Motion-Charging 



Motor / kW - / 250 

Battery type 

LMP 



IMC 

ie tram 12/18 

Length mm 12,165 / 18,730 


Motor / kW Irizar / 190-235 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



ISUZU 

Out of the 800.000 buses in Europe, 90% have no form of intelligence. 

It’s time to drive smarter and greener. 

42 

Citymood 12e 



Motor / kW Siemens 1DB2016 / 230 

Battery type 

Akasol / NMC 

Battery capacity max. kWh 330 


plug-in 

It’s time to add Tenix. 

software that makes buses smart 

www.tenix.eu 

Saga Tenix AS 

Lønningsveien 47, 5258 Blomsterdalen, Norway

PORTFOLIO 



Novociti Volt 



Motor / kW TM4 Sumo MD / 255 

Battery type 

CATL / LFP 



plug-in 

KARSAN 

e-ATA 12 



Motor / kW ZF AxTrax / 250 

Battery type 

LFP 



plug-in 

KING LONG 

Lion’s City E 12/18 

Length mm 12,185 / 18,060 


Motor / kW Traton / 270 - 540 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



plug-in 

e-Jest 



Motor / kW BMW / 125 

Battery type BMW / Lithium-ion 



plug-in 

Pev 10/12 

Length mm 10,500/11,980 

Passenger n. -/- 

Motor / kW -/- 

Battery type 

LFP 



plug-in 

Lion’s City 12*/18* hybrid 

Length mm 12,185/18,060 

Passenger capacity n. 101/140 

Electric motor / kW 

MAN/12 



Diesel engine/kW MAN D15/243-265 

*available with CNG engine 

MERCEDES 

e-Atak 



Motor / kW TM4 / 230 

Battery type BMW / Lithium-ion 



plug-in 

E10/12 Hybrid 

Length mm 10,500/12,200 


Electric motor Green Control System 



Diesel engine/kW Cummins / 290 

MAN 

eCitaro 12/18 

Length mm 12,135 / 18,125 

Passenger capacity n. 80* / 136* 


Battery type 

Akasol / NMC** 



plug-in 

*with max battery capacity 

**optionally available with Blue Solutions 

LMP batteries (max 441 kWh) 

44

PORTFOLIO 



Citaro Hybrid 12/18 

Length mm 12,185 / 18,060 

Passenger n. 101 / 140 

Electric motor type - 



Diesel engine type/kW OM 936/300 

Businova Electric 

Length mm 9,530 / 10,550 / 12,000 

Passenger capacity n. 60 to 106 


Battery type 

Safra / LFP 


Charging technology 80 to 350 kWh 

SKODA 

OTOKAR 

e-Kent C 



Motor / kW Voith / 410 

Battery type 

Webasto / NMC 

Battery capacity kWh 210 - 280 - 350 


plug-in 

Businova Fuel Cell 

Length mm 10,550 / 12,000 

Passenger capacity n. 65 to 96 


Fuel cell module / kW Symbio / 30 

Battery Safra / LFP / 132 kWh 

Businova Hybrid 

Length mm 9,530 / 10,550 / 12,000 

Passenger seats n. 60 to 106 

Electric motor / kW TM4 / 250 

Diesel engine 80 kW / 3,5l 

Battery type 

Safra / LFP 


SCANIA 

Skoda E’ City 



Motor / kW - / 160 




plug-in 

SOLARIS 

MAY 2022 

17 MARCH 2022 

RAMPINI 

E60/E80 

Length mm 6,110 / 7,790 


Motor / kW 

Siemens/122 

Battery type Rampini / - 



plug-in 

Citywide BEV 



Motor / kW PM / 300 

Battery type 

Lithium ion 


Charging tech. 

plug-in / pant. 

Urbino electric 9 LE*/12 

Length mm 9,270 / 12,000 

Passenger seats max n. 31 / 38 

Motor ZF AxTrax-TSA / 220-250-160 

Battery type 

LTO / NMC 



*can be homologated also in Class II 

OCTOBER 2022 

SAFRA 

Citywide Hybrid 

Length mm 12,005 / 14,900 


Electric motor output kW 150 

Diesel eng./hp Scania DC09/280-320 


Battery capacity kWh - 

Urbino electric 15 LE* 


Passenger seats max n. 65 

Motor Central asynchronous / 300 

Battery type 

LTO / NMC 



*can be homologated also in Class II 

NOVEMBER 2022 

46

PORTFOLIO 



PORTFOLIO 



Urbino electric 18/24 

Length mm 18,000 / 24,700 


Motor 

ZF AxTrax / TSA 

Battery type 

LTO / NMC 



Urbino 12 hydrogen 


Passenger seats max n. 37 


Fuel cell module 

Ballard 

Fuel cell module power kW 70 

Battery High Power / 30 kWh 

Hydrogen capacity kg 5 x 37,5 

Urbino hybrid 12/18 

Length mm 12,000 / 18,000 

Seated max n. 37 / 49 

Electric motor / kW central/120-200 

Diesel engine / hp Cummins / 120 

Battery type 

Supercap 

Battery capacity kWh 0.82 

Trollino 

Length mm 12,000/18,000/24,000 

Passenger seats max n. 39/53/69 

Motor / kW TSA-Skoda / 160-250 

Battery type 

Solaris LTO 

Battery capacity kWh 30-90 

Charging technologies Pant. / IMC 

TEMSA 

Avenue Electron 



Motor / kW TM4 Sumo / 250 

Battery type 

NMC 



plug-in 

MD9 electriCITY 



Motor / kW 

TM4/250 

Battery type 

NMC 



plug-in 

VAN HOOL 

A330 Fuel Cell 6W 



Motor type 1/kW Siemens PEM2016/ 160 


Fuel cell Ballard FC Velocity HD 85 


Hydrogen capacity l/kg 1,600/ 38.5 

Fuel Cell 8W 



Motor / kW 

Siemens PEM2022/210 

Fuel cell Ballard FC Velocity HD 85 - 100 


Hydrogen capacity l/kg 1.600 / 38.5 

Exqui.City 18 Fuel Cell 




Motor type 2/kW Siemens PEM2022/ 210 

Fuel cell Ballard FC Velocity HD 100 


Hydrogen capacity l/kg 1,600 / 38.5 

A309 diesel-hybrid 



Electric motor 

Battery supplier 

Siemens 1DB2016B06 

Actia 


Diesel engine/kW Cummins ISB 4,5/157 

Exqui.City18 diesel-hybrid 




Motor type 2/kW Siemens PEM2022/ 210 


Actia 


Diesel eng./kW Cummins ISB 6.7/209 

Exqui.City24 diesel-hybrid 



Electric motor / kW Siemens PEM/ 2x160 


Actia 

Battery capacity max kWh 2x24/36 

Diesel eng./kW Cummins ISB 6.7/209 

Exqui.City24 CNG-hybrid 



Electric motor/kW Siemens PEM/2x160 


Actia 


Engine / kW FPT CNG / 221 

Exqui.City18 Trolley 



Motor type/kW 2x Kiepe TSA TMF/160 

Battery type 

Kiepe 

Battery capacity max kWh 2x15 

Pantograph 

Kiepe 

Exqui.City24 Trolley 



Motor type/kW 2xKiepe TSA TMF/160 

Battery type 

Kiepe 

Battery capacity max kWh 2x20 

Pantograph 

Kiepe 

VDL 

Citea SLF-120 Electric 



Motor/kW Siemens 1DB2016/160 


Battery capacity standard kWh 216 


Citea SLE-120/129 Electric 

Length mm 12,000 / 12,900 






Citea LLE-99/115 Electric 

Length mm 9,950 / 11,500 






Citea SLFA-180/181/187 Elec. 

Length mm 18,000 / 18,150 / 18,750 

Passenger capacity n. 130/130/125 

Motor/kW Siemens 1DB2022/240 




VOLVO 

7900 Electric 



Motor / kW Volvo / 200 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



7900 Electric Articulated 

Length mm 18,000/ 18,700 


Motor / kW Volvo / 2 x 200 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 

Battery capacity kWh 250/300 


7900 Electric Hybrid 



Electric motor / kW Volvo / 200 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 


Charging technology Oppcharge 

Diesel engine/hp Volvo D5/240 

7900 Hybrid 

Length mm 10,600/12,000 



Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



48 

49

PORTFOLIO 

SUPPLEMENT 

WRIGHTBUS 

Mobility, smart city 

Culture, technology and market of 

low and zero emission buses 

Established 1991 

Editor in chief 

Stefano Agnellini 

Managing editor 

Riccardo Schiavo 

Editorial staff 

Fabio Butturi, Ornella Cavalli, 

Fabrizio Dalle Nogare, Stefano Eliseo, 

Cristina Scuteri, Alberto Gimmelli 

Layout & graphics 

Marco Zanusso (manager) 

7900 Hybrid Articulated 

Length mm 18,000 / 18,700 



Battery type 

Lithium-ion 


Charging 

Oppcharge / CCS 


YUTONG 

E12 



Motor/kW Yutong YTM280-CV9-H/350 


CATL 



plug-in 

Yutong ICe12 (coach) 



Motor/kW Yutong TZ368XSYTB38/350 

Battery type 

CATL 



plug-in 

StreetDeck Hydroliner FCEV 



Motor / kW 

Voith VEDS 

Fuel cell module 

Ballard 

Fuel cell module power kW - 

Battery 

Forsee Power / NMC 


Hydrogen capacity kg 27 (1,120 l) 

StreetDeck Electroliner BEV 



Motor / kW 

Voith VEDS 

Battery 




plug-in. 

GB Kite Hydroliner FCEV 



Motor / kW 

Voith VEDS 

Fuel cell module Ballard FC Move 

Fuel cell module power kW 70 - 100 

Battery 



Hydrogen capacity kg 35 - 50 

GB Kite Electroliner BEV 



Motor / kW 

Voith VEDS 

Battery 




plug-in. 

Editorial management 

Fabio Zammaretti 

Printing 

Industrie Grafiche RGM srl, 

Rozzano (Mi) 

Milano City Court Authorization 

n. 860 – December 18th 1987 National 

Press Register n. 4596 – April 20th 1994 

Poste Italiane Inc. – Mail subscription 

D.L. 353/2003 (mod. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 

46) Art. 1, subsection 1, LO/MI 

VADO E TORNO 

EDIZIONI 

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e-mail: pubblicita@vadoetornoedizioni.it 

Head of Sales 

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Sales agents 

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Back issues 

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E-Mail 

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OBILITY 

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