SUSTAINABLE BUS 2022-09

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 

SEPTEMBER 2022 

JOURNEY TO THE 

FUTURE 

OUTLOOKS 

Tips and tricks to 

get the most from 

e-bus batteries 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT 

Iveco Bus Urbanway 

hybrid and Scania 

Citywide BEV 

COMPARISON 

18m trolleybuses: 

Hess, Iveco, 

Solaris, Van Hool

Sustainable 

BUS 

CONTENTS 

SUSTAINABLE-BUS.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 

6 

8 

POST-IT 

Zero emission bus market in Europe, 

over 30% share in city bus segment 

Altas Novus Cityline: 

brand new e-minibus from Lithuania 

44 

10 

10 

14 

16 

TECHNO 

Karsan launches a driverless 

bus in real operations 

Daimler Buses turns to 

Toyota for the fuel cell eCitaro 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

Enel X wins first project in the UK. 

Three depots awarded in London 

18 

INTERVIEW 

How to deal with e-bus batteries. 

Safety, charging tips, TCO 

24 

28 

OUTLOOKS 

A few forecasts on the future 

of the European electric bus market 

Mobility as a Service ‘recruits’ taxis 

on the fight against private cars 

50 

34 

40 

44 


Switch Mobility e1 | Van Hool A12: 

new bus families in ‘ZE-mode’ only 

Iveco Urbanway hybrid, 

also available in CNG version 

Scania Citywide BEV: 

its turn has come? 

46 

48 

49 

50 

51 

COMPARISON 

Articulated trolleybuses under the lens. 

Flexibility as never before... 

Hess Swisstrolley 19 DC 

Up to 30 km off-wire 

Iveco Crealis IMC 

New generation, battery-powered 

Solaris Trollino 18 

Face-lifted and redesigned 

Van Hool Exqui.City 18 

When a bus meets a tram... 

40 

52 

PORTFOLIO 

All the electric buses 

on the European market 

5

POST-IT 

EUROPE: ZE BUS REGISTRATIONS IN FIRST HALF 2022 

30% share achieved 

UK IS THE LARGEST E-BUS MARKET, GERMANY FOLLOWS 

NEW 

ELECTRO 

OBILITY 

VDL is back at the helm of 

the top e-bus sellers in Europe. 

The Dutch manufacturer had 242 

e-buses registered in the first half 

of 2022, with BYD – ADL closely 

following with 221 units. Third, 

surprise!, Yutong with 217 e-buses 

delivered. Then Mercedes, Iveco 

Bus, MAN. Only seventh, Solaris: 

the company has been leading the 

e-bus market in Europe in 2021 

(and the same should be said of 

2020). Anyhow, the Polish supplier 

is still on top concerning registrations 

in the period 2012 – June 

2022, with 1,225 units (second, 

VDL with 1,211). 

These figures are based on data 

collected and analyzed by Chatrou 

CME Solutions. Considered 

countries: EU27 + UK + 

ICE + NO + CH (but SR, HR 

and BG data not available so far 

for 2022). In the period January 

– June 2022, zero emission buses 

(battery-electric and fuel cell buses) had a share of 30 per cent in 

the city bus market, growing from the 22.8 of the full year 2021 and 

15.1% of year 2020. 

In the first half of 2022 there were 1,768 e-bus registrations in Europe. 

Over 3,000 e-buses were registered in the whole 2021, 1,393 of those 

in the first half of the year. Taking in consideration Q1 and Q2 in both 

2021 and 2022, the increase in registrations has been of 27%. 

The UK is leading the list of countries with more e-buses registered: 

350. Germany follows with 246, then France at 236. 

Alexander Dennis will launch in-house electric 

bus models in 2023. A new small bus and a new 

electric double 

decker are set 

to complement 

the BYD ADL 

partnership’s 

vehicles, “which 

will continue to 

be sold and supported”, 

ADL 

pointed out in 

a press note in 

late August. 

Buses for the 

United Kingdom 

and Ireland will be fully built in Britain. 

Internationally, the new platform will be tailored 

DOING IT THEMSELVES 

64,5% of registered city buses 

now have an alternative driveline 

(this was 59% in 2021 and 52% in 

2020). The share of hybrid buses is 

decreasing: from 24 to 14%, caused 

by a shift to electric (Germany) or to 

CNG (Spain and Italy). 

to the requirements of cities, transport authorities 

and bus companies in each territory. The 

order for Enviro500EV electric double deckers in 

Hong Kong will be part of this new generation of 

zero emission buses. 

The battery-electric BYD ADL Enviro200EV and 

BYD ADL Enviro400EV products built in partnership 

with BYD will continue to be offered in the 

UK, Ireland and New Zealand, ADL stresses. Alexander 

Dennis’s second-generation hydrogen bus, 

the Enviro400FCEV, will also continue to form an 

important part of the company’s zero-emission 

bus range and will be delivered to launch customer 

Liverpool City Region later this year. Already 

fully designed and integrated by Alexander 

Dennis, it shares technology and key driveline 

components with the upcoming new battery-electric 

models. 

OFFER FLEXIBILITY 

Available in 4 different lengths from 9,5 m, till 18 m 

with a choice of charging mode and the batteries packs 

ELECTROMOBILITY IN DNA 

Designed “By Heuliez”, the premium brand with a long history 

of development and manufacturing the trolleybuses and full-hybrid buses 

INNOVATIVE DESIGN, TOTAL COMFORT 

Maximum customization, spacious, bright and quiet 

passengers compartment, smooth and easy drive 

PREMIUM SERVICE 

Wide European service network, IVECO Control Room 

for remote diagnostics, fleet management and telematics solutions 

btsadv.com 

6

POST-IT 

ALTAS LAUNCHES THE NOVUS CITYLINE 

The e-minibus from the North 

A LITHUANIAN COOPERATION WITH ELINTA MOTORS 

The Altas Novus Cityline, based 

on Mercedes Sprinter chassis, is the 

first full electric product realized by 

the group, here in collaboration with 

the technological partner, also Lithuanian, 

Elinta Motors, in charge of 

motor and batteries. There are two 

versions available: the 7,367 millimetre 

version, which we had the 

opportunity to test, and the 7,667 

millimetre version, with a wheelbase 

lengthened by 50 centimetres. 

On board there is room for 15 seated 

passengers (including the two folding 

seats) and three standing. On the extended 

wheelbase version, 22 people 

can be accommodated, thanks to the 

addition of a row of seats. There is 

also a manual ramp for wheelchairs. 

Elinta Motors provides the liquid-cooled 

three-phase induction 

motor. It is mounted behind the rear 

axle. It develops a maximum of 150 

kW for a peak torque of 1,250 Nm. 

The NMC batteries are distributed 

between front and rear: two packs under the bonnet, together with the compressor 

for air conditioning and the auxiliary fossil fuel heater, if any; third 

module at the rear. Total: 115 kWh. The increase in weight attributable to the 

batteries is 735 kg (245 per module). 

With 18 EU countries covered, deliveries around 800 units per year, certification 

as a Mercedes-Benz VanPartner and Volkswagen PremiumPartner, 

and ongoing cooperation activities with Iveco and MAN (Altas’ signature 

is ‘stamped’ on MAN TGE Coach), the Lithuanian company needs very 

little introduction. 

On the Novus Cityline there is room 

for up to 22 passengers. Elinta 

Motors provides the liquid-cooled 

3-phase induction motor. It develops 

a maximum of 150 kW for a peak 

torque of 1,250 Nm. It’ll be on display 

at NME in Milan on 12-14 October. 

FUEL CELL BUS PARTNERSHIP IS BORN 

Iveco Bus will collaborate with HTWO to equip its 

future European fuel cell buses with Hyundai-made 

fuel cell modules. 

HTWO, 

as a fuel cell 

system-based 

hydrogen business 

brand of 

Hyundai Motor 

Group, was 

first released 

in December 

2020. It’s the 

first outcome of 

the partnership 

signed by Iveco 

Group and Hyundai in March 2022. 

With its fuel cell technology utilized in Hyundai 

FCEVs, HTWO is expanding the provision of fuel 

cell technology to other automobile OEMs and 

non-automobile sectors. Iveco Bus says it is already 

participating in European tenders for fuel 

cell buses powered by HTWO. 

Furthermore, the recently announced plan to restart 

production of buses in Italy will provide another 

opportunity to manufacture new buses powered 

by HTWO’s hydrogen fuel cells. This initiative 

aims to leverage the exceptional technology and 

competencies of both entities in the urgently needed 

renewal of Italy’s public transport. 

What is also interesting, Iveco Bus and tech company 

Via Transportation have signed a Memorandum 

of Understanding (MoU) to explore possible 

future collaborations in the development of tailored 

on-demand public transportation solutions 

and associated digital services for buses. 

hydrogen 

We are changing the image 

of public transport 

8

TECHNO 

KARSAN E-ATAK IN AUTONOMOUS VERSION LAUNCHED IN NORWAY 

Built for the next level 

LEVEL 4 AUTONOMY THANKS TO ADASTEC SOFTWARE 

An electric midibus with Level 

4 autonomy is operating between 

Norwegian fjords. The vehicle has 

been provided by Karsan, the protagonist, 

together with the transport 

authority Kolumbus, of a pilot 

project that marks a real milestone. 

It is in fact the first driverless bus 

in circulation in the Old Continent 

(if we do not take into account the 

shuttles developed by players such 

as the French Navya). 

The Karsan e-Atak is turned into a 

driverless vehicle by the ‘Flowride. 

ai Level-4’ automated driving software 

platform developed by tech 

company Adastec. It has been running 

since spring in the picturesque 

city of Stavanger, on a 2.5-kilometre 

route through the city centre, open 

to regular traffic. Capable of travelling 

without a driver on a planned 

route, the vehicle is able to reach 

50 km/h in all weather conditions. 

This means the vehicle is capable 

of autonomously performing tasks such as stopping at stops on the route, 

managing the boarding of passengers, crossing roundabouts and junctions. 

All this thanks to an artificial intelligence system that uses LiDAR sensors 

placed in several places on the vehicle’s body, combined with thermal-imaging 

cameras. Adastec’s software combines such information with HD maps. 

With a stated range of 300 km, the 8.3 metre long Autonomous e-Atak 

can transport 52 passengers (even though, with respect to the autonomous 

version, just seated passengers are allowed and this reduces maximum capacity 

to 21 people). 

The vehicle is equipped with an 

artificial intelligence system that 

uses LiDAR sensors placed in 

several places on the vehicle’s 

body, combined with thermalimaging 

cameras. Adastec’s 

software combines such 

information with HD maps. 

10 

LFP BATTERIES FROM SOLARIS 

CATL is going to supply LFP batteries to European 

leading electric bus manufacturer Solaris Bus & 

Coach. The bus builder will benefit from Cell to Pack 

(CTP) technology, CATL pointed out in a press note. 

Already among Tesla’s suppliers, in the bus segment 

CATL has agreement in force with Quantron and VDL. 

It is today the largest battery manufacturer in the 

world and has plans to build a 7 million euros battery 

plant in Europe with capacity of 100 GWh. 

By removing the conventional module parts, the CTP 

technology increases the battery energy density and 

payload of the e-bus. Solaris ranked first in the zero-emission 

bus market in 2021 in Europe. Starting 

co-operation with CATL, Solaris will extend its offer by 

new battery solutions available in its vehicles. At the 

moment, the manufacturer offers two battery options: 

NMC-based modules Solaris High Energy for overnight 

vehicles and LTO modules (under the domain Solaris 

High Power) for buses equipped with pantograph. It 

is unclear whether CATL LFP batteries will be a third 

choice or will be replacing other options. 

“This co-operation will extend CATL’s global commercial 

vehicle electrification network and accelerate the 

electrification transition of commercial vehicles worldwide, 

thus contributing to the global drive for e-mobility 

and carbon neutrality”, the Chinese suppliers adds. 

Comprehensive electromobility solutions 

for the transport of the future. 

Zero emission vehicles 

In house battery manufacturing 

Pioneering in autonomous driving 

Irizar Group Technology 

#foraBetterLife 

www irizar-emobility com

EXPANDING 

THE HYDROGEN 

ECOSPHERE 

Cummins is delivering net zero carbon solutions with an unrivalled range of hydrogen 

technologies extending from fuel production to storage and vehicle power. 

It’s a unique capability that builds on Cummins’ long experience 

in powering buses and trucks worldwide. 

• Fuel cell power systems 

• Storage tanks for vehicles & refueling stations 

• Green hydrogen electrolyzer installations 

• Developing hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines 

To find out how our integrated 

technologies can help put you on the 

road to a sustainable, zero emissions 

future visit us at IAA, Hall 19/20, 

Booth A12 or go to 

cummins.com/new-power 

©2022 Cummins Inc.

TECHNO 

A PARTNERSHIP WITH TOYOTA 

The eCitaro with the fuel cell 

ZERO EMISSION BUSES IN EVERY SEGMENT BY 2030 

Discover our 100% electric 

urban mobility solutions 

Daimler Buses aims to offer 

zero emission buses in every 

segment by 2030 (both battery 

and hydrogen-powered). Starting 

in 2023, the Mercedes eCitaro 

will be also equipped with a hydrogen-based 

fuel cell as a range 

extender. The first full electric 

intercity bus will be launched in 

2025. 

The fuel cell of the Mercedes eCitaro 

Range Extender comes from 

Toyota and is in its second generation. 

It is a heavy-duty unit with 

a maximum output of 60 kW. 

What is interesting, Daimler Buses 

states it is not investing in Euro 

VII in Class I buses and forecasts 

a share of 75% of e-buses in public 

transport in the EU by 2030. 

In addition to expanding its portfolio 

of zero emission buses, 

Daimler Buses is also expanding 

its service offerings as a general 

contractor for customers’ complete 

electric infrastructure. 

The initial focus for Daimler Truck electrification strategy will be on 

the core markets of Europe and Latin America. By 2039, only locally 

CO2-neutral new vehicles are to be sold in the core market of Europe, 

as already announced. In the city bus segment, only zero emission buses 

are to be sold already in 2030. 

Daimler Buses plans to launch the first all-electric inter-city bus from 

2025 and coaches with hydrogen-based fuel cell drive from the end of 

this decade. 

Daimler Buses will offer the eCitaro 

with a new generation of batteries from 

end 2022. These are set to increase 

the capacity per battery cell by around 

50 percent for the same weight. The 

batteries will be used in both the 

eCitaro, the eCitaro REX and the allelectric 

chassis eO500U from Brazil. 

Up to 32 passengers 

Up to 123 passengers 

Standard and articulated 

14 

MAN Truck & Bus is establishing large-scale production 

of batteries for electric trucks and buses at 

Nuremberg site, until now known as a historical place 

for combustion engine manufacturing. The group will 

invest around 100 million euros (securing 350 jobs 

in Nuremberg). Planned battery manufacturing capacity? 

Over 100,000 battery systems per year. MAN 

highlights that Bavarian State Government has promised 

a contribution of around 30 million euros to energy 

research and technology funding for the period 

2023 to 2027, provided that the funding and budgetary 

requirements are met. 

Around the middle of the current decade, the total 

cost of ownership for an e-truck and a diesel-powered 

one will be at the same level, according to MAN. The 

group also announced this year that “will in future be 

offering an electric bus chassis for the global market“, 

based on technologies from the Lion’s City E 

IN-HOUSE BATTERIES 

(the vehicle will be in roadshow outside the old continent 

beginning with 2023). The e-bus is produced at 

MAN’s Polish plant in Starachowice. 

Back to battery modules’ production, initially, the 

batteries will be manufactured manually at the MAN 

plant in Nuremberg in a small series production for 

about two and a half years. Construction of largescale 

production is scheduled to start in mid-2023 

and to be completed by the end of 2024. 

OTOKAR electromobility to meet the new urban challenges 

100% electric Zero emissions Low noise pollution 

www.otokareurope.com

INFRASTRUCTURE 

16 

ENEL X WITH ABELLIO IN LONDON 

British debut 

UP TO 56 E-BUSES IN LONDON’S HAYES DEPOT 

Enel X UK has completed this 

summer its first e-bus project for 

Abellio London Bus. The new 

depot, located in Hayes, houses 

innovative e-buses delivering 

zero-emission transport to West 

London. 

UK’s electric bus fleet is today the 

biggest in Europe with over 1,500 

units delivered in the last ten years. 

The new Hayes depot is the first 

of three e-bus projects that Abellio 

has awarded to Enel X in the 

Greater London area. Enel X will 

work with Abellio to deploy further 

e-bus infrastructure at facilities 

in Battersea and Beddington, 

as well as increasing charging capacity 

at the new Hayes depot. The 

Hayes facility has been engineered 

from the ground up with scalability 

in mind; a modular approach 

will enable Enel X to seamlessly 

expand the existing infrastructure 

to accommodate a fleet of up to 56 

electric buses. 

Enel X’s e-bus team was responsible for enabling the site’s electrical infrastructure 

for e-bus charging, installing a low voltage switch panel and 

switch gear that now powers six 300kW Enel X Way charging stations. The 

charging stations will run on Enel X Way software that is able to optimise 

charging schedules based on site load, energy costs, and bus timetables, 

Enel X says. Abellio’s e-buses incorporate 382 kWh batteries that can be 

fully charged in just over 3 hours. Enel X will also maintain and service 

the charging stations for the next 14 years. 

FROM FINLAND TO THE US 

Kempower’s Board of Directors has approved this 

summer an update to the company’s growth strategy. 

The Finnish group targets to establish operations 

in the United States by the end of the year 

2023. This is an advanced timeline compared to 

the previously published target of 2025. 

Apart from the updated target timeline of establishing 

operations in the United States, Kempower’s 

go-to-market strategy and innovation strategy 

remain unchanged, firm says. In 2022, Kempower 

is also exploring different alternatives for expansion 

into the North American markets. 

Kempower has recently launched a new version of 

its Kempower S-Series charging satellite system 

featuring liquid-cooled charging, capable of delivering 

400kW of continuous charging power. 

The plan to establish operations in the U.S. includes 

Kempower’s own legal entity and a local 

The new Hayes depot is the first of 

three e-bus projects that Abellio has 

awarded to Enel X in the Greater 

London area. Enel X will work with 

Abellio to deploy further e-bus 

infrastructure at facilities in Battersea 

and Beddington. 

assembly of Kempower’s charging solutions. Establishing 

operations in the U.S. is part of Kempower’s 

growth strategy execution. In Q1 2022 

Kempower launched its Kempower C- and S-Series 

product range to the North American market. 

In May 2022 Kempower confirmed an order of 

EUR 5 million to deliver EV fast-charging systems 

to GreenCore EV Services in the United States. 

350+ E-BUSES 

ACROSS THE WORLD 

USA 

2020 & 2021 

EUROPE 

MARKET LEADER 

Visit us 

Next Mobility Expo 

12-14 October 2022 

Milano 

CANADA SLOVAKIA POLAND 

ROMANIA 

PORTUGAL 

GREECE 

TÜRKİYE 

GERMANY 

FRANCE ITALY 

BULGARIA 

MEXICO 

BELGIUM 

SPAIN 

NORWAY 

CROATIA 

LITHUANIA 

LUXEMBOURG 

*According to Europe Minibus and Bus Market Report datas published by Chatrou CME Solutions in 2020 & 2021. 

2021 

EUROPE 

MARKET LEADER 

ITALY

INTERVIEW 

H.H. «The expected development 

is the transition to mass 

production. The big issue that 

currently holds back the largescale 

introduction of fuel cells 

into heavy goods transport are 

the concerns about the lifetime of 

fuel cell stacks. The current technology, 

which has been tested on 

Martin Ufert: «In 2030 still 

a dominating role, 2045 quite 

hard to say. Lithium-ion technology 

will have a big role, especially 

NMC or LFP technology. 

There are some other promising 

approaches at the moment but 

still not at a commercial upscale 

role at the moment». 

H.H. «If you are alluding to solid-state, 

I know that the car industry 

is investing huge amounts 

of money and there is always the 

chance that they have something 

up their sleeve that is not yet 

published». 

ty, especially at system level. We 

shouldn’t forget that with the 

existing lithium-ion technology 

we learned all the hard lessons 

when they were in laptops and 

early mobile phones, with all 

the fires that happened. We don’t 

even know what the ‘training 

ground’ for the solid-state batteries 

will be. It would be unusual 

if they would immediately 

go to the mass market of electric 

vehicles...». 

M.U. «And the current lithium-ion 

technology is still im- 

TIPS & TRICKS 

The battery is the last relevant remaining wearing part of an electric 

vehicle – and by far the most expensive. How to charge it properly? How 

to reduce TCO as much as possible? Safety concerns? Three experts 

discuss tips, tricks and outlooks concerning the heart of EVs 

An experts’ discussion 

about future powertrain 

technologies in 

heavy-duty transport. 

This is how we may entitle this 

interview. We met Claudius Jehle, 

CEO of volytica diagnostics, 

Dr. Martin Ufert, Group 

Manager for System Monitoring 

and Operational Strategies at 

Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation 

and Infrastructure 

Systems IVI and Prof. Dr. Harry 

Hoster, Chairman of Energy 

Technology at the University of 

Duisburg-Essen and Head of the 

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Center 

ZBT GmbH, to take a look at the 

future of our mobility system, 

with a focus on the electrification 

of public transport. 

The future of mobility is electric 

- only the powertrain 

technology is still written in 

AN EXPERTS’ DISCUSSION ON BATTERIES 

the stars. Which powertrain 

technology do you think will 

win the race and why? 

Claudius Jehle: «In my mind 

there will be no ‘winner’. The 

future will still have combustion 

engines, hybrid- as well as 

fully battery-powered vehicles. 

For anything up to several hundred 

kilometers of range, Li-Ion 

batteries are predestined from 

today’s perspective, and for 

Claudius Jehle 

everything beyond, hydrogen or 

other technologies will be the 

system of choice». 

Harry Hoster: «Yes, for longhaul 

and heavy-duty there will 

be a growing share of hydrogen. 

Now, fuel cell technology for hydrogen 

usage has not reached 

the level of mass production. 

Where I see hydrogen being 

quite relevant – once ready – are 

municipal fleets like waste trucks 

or logistics. The heavy goods 

industry is keen on hydrogen because 

of the higher energy density 

compared to battery packs». 

In terms of transport, the 

attention has largely been 

turned away from hydrogen, 

but in the transport sector, it 

continues to raise hope. What 

developments can be expected 

here? 

Martin Ufert 

normal passenger cars, won’t 

work here because of the totally 

different availability and load requirements». 

C.J.: «History seems to repeat 

itself. We have seen - a decade 

ago - infancy, degradation, 

problems with cracking, problems 

with water inrush in PV 

modules. Then the same happened, 

or now happens, with 

batteries. Now degradation and 

all the same issues are being 

faced by the promising hydrogen 

technology. This affects both the 

production side, like electrolyzers, 

and the fuel cells on the consumption 

side. That’s actually 

very interesting». 

Li-ion technology currently 

dominates the market - but 

raw materials are becoming 

rare, and a true circular economy 

is far from being ‘closed’ 

- what role will Li-ion technology 

play in 2030, or further 

away in 2045? 

M.U. «By the way, to be clear, 

‘solid-state’ batteries are also 

just Lithium-ion batteries. The 

liquid electrolyte that enables 

the Lithium-ion to move inside 

the battery, to transport energy 

between the terminals, is replaced 

by a solid one. Sounds a 

bit boring, right?». 

H.H. «True, let’s touch on the 

advantages later – but do you 

know how long it took for LFP 

to reach the mass market? I’m 

not overly optimistic about quick 

wins of solid-state. Even if now 

we have working solid-state 

battery prototypes in the laboratory, 

we will not immediately 

have a way of manufacturing it 

at scale. It’s always about safe- 

Harry Hoster 

«If you are using NMC technology, you should not charge at low 

temperatures, especially not too fast. This combination can really 

cause safety issues in the long run! Also, an often neglected factor 

s the level to which you charge, the state of charge and 

the window in which you operate an asset» 

FEATURING 

Claudius Jehle is CEO of volytica 

diagnostics GmbH; with more than 10 

years of experience in Li ion battery 

diagnostics, he and his team develop easy 

to use & independent battery diagnostics 

software for commercial vehicle and 

stationary applications. With a background 

in the renowned Fraunhofer Society, he 

has been active in battery-based public 

transport consultancy for almost 8 years. 

He regularly writes knowledge article for 

Sustainable Bus magazine. 

Martin Ufert covers the position of Group 

Manager “Energy Storage Monitoring 

Systems and Operating Strategies” at the 

Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation 

and Infrastructure Systems IVI (Dresden). 

He can draw on 10 years of experience 

in the planning, design and operation of 

electrical transport systems. 

Fraunhofer IVI has been developing 

systems, components and software 

solutions for electrified drives of buses 

and commercial vehicles for more than 15 

years. 

Harry Hoster is Professor of Energy 

Technology at Universität Duisburg-Essen 

and Scientific Director of “The Hydrogen 

and Fuel Cell Center ZBT GmbH”. His 

research covers hydrogen technologies 

and batteries, from fundamentals to 

applications. He was founding director of 

the UK company “Altelium Ltd.”, which 

specializes on novel battery-related 

insurance products. By training, he is a 

physicist (Universität Bonn) with a PhD 

in Engineering and a Venia Legendi in 

Physical Chemistry. 

18 

19

INTERVIEW 

proving! Or at least, advancing. 

If at all solid-state should quickly 

reach scalability, it’s still a 

question of the price at the end». 

Dr. Hoster, you postponed the 

question of the advantages of 

solid-state. What do we hope 

that solid-state will achieve? 

Will it be safety, longer range 

or simply being cheaper? 

H.H. «The biggest driver will 

be safety. I think there will be 

more pressure on the industry 

to reduce the flammability, especially 

relevant when it comes 

to shipping and logistics in the 

large sale. As said, the fact that 

the often highly flammable liquid 

electrolyte in conventional, 

state-of-the-art, Li Ion batteries 

is replaced by a solid one - hence 

the name - makes this technology 

a good candidate for higher 

safety. But the rest of the technology 

remains, give or take, 

the same - it is still Lithium-ion 

technology! Let’s assume they 

manage to go for lithium metal 

anodes and we get rid of the 

graphite: that helps us save a 

bit on the raw material side and 

gain a bit of energy density. But 

on the cathode side, I would suspect 

that we would still end up 

with very similar materials as 

they are currently used in the existing 

lithium-ion world». 

C.J. «That is actually 

extremely 

interesting and 

should be highlighted. 

Many 

people often 

compare: ‘There 

is Lithium-Ion 

and then there is 

the magic bullet, 

the other technology 

that has 

nothing to do 

with lithium-ion, 

solid-state - lives 

longer, is cheaper, 

higher energy density and 

safer, but this is not correct. In 

my mind, people are overestimating 

the potential that this 

could bring, if it was available». 

«We will not immediately have a way of manufacturing solid-state 

batteries at scale. It’s always about safety. With the existing lithium-ion 

technology we learned all the hard lessons when they were in 

laptops and early mobile phones. We don’t even know 

what the ‘training ground’ for the solid-state batteries will be» 

C. J. «Seems odd, some of the 

e-bus fires in the last 12 months 

are attributed to so-called solid 

state technology, the last in 

Paris earlier this year. But to be 

clear: this technology is an early 

version, working at elevated 

temperatures of >50°C, only remotely 

related to the anticipated 

solid-state technology. There is 

just no ‘magic bullet’ around and 

no simple truths. I think, people 

are overestimating and oversimplifying». 

M.U. «And to be fair, speaking 

about safety: batteries today are 

safe. The catastrophic fires that 

we have seen in buses and other 

assets in the past can not even 

be attributed to cell failures, and 

often the charging system is potentially 

the culprit. There is too 

much panic around!». 

C.J. «Oh yes! With proper management 

and centralized analysis, 

even the last few 0.x% of 

likelihood can be detected hours 

to days, even weeks beforehand. 

But as said: Only if we take a 

close look and monitor them». 

Talking about degradation: 

fast charging, charging cycles 

and temperature windows 

make proper charging and operation 

complex. What must 

be considered here in the context 

of cell degradation? 

C.J. «It depends on which cell 

type of the large landscape is 

being used. One rule of thumb: 

if you are using NMC technology, 

you should not charge at low 

«Batteries today are safe. The catastrophic fires that we have seen 

in buses and other assets in the past can not even be attributed 

to cell failures, and often the charging system is potentially the culprit. 

With proper management and centralized analysis, even the last 

few 0.x% of likelihood can be detected beforehand» 

temperatures, especially not too 

fast. This combination can really 

cause safety issues in the long 

run! Also, an often neglected 

factor is the level to which you 

charge, the state 

of charge and the 

window in which 

you operate an asset». 

H.H. «A lot of that 

is not always under 

the control of the 

end user, don’t you 

think?». 

C.J. «No, I think, 

many things can be 

controlled by the 

end user. You can 

control the SOC at which you 

park, the window in which you 

operate - 80% to 20% is often 

better than 100% to 40%! And 

you might be able to plant some 

trees to shade roof-top mounted 

batteries for basic temperature 

control. Also good for the environment. 

These measures can 

easily extend lifetime by more 

than 10 to 20%. Not to speak of 

fast charging…». 

M.U. «True, fast charging 

mostly has cell degradation as 

a consequence. Still, for a fleet 

operator the TCO is at the end 

always the main point to look 

at. If the short-term economical 

advantages gained by faster 

charging outweigh the long-term 

problems, i.e. premature failure 

and lower resell value, then that 

can be a fair deal. But how many 

companies do this calculation? If 

you have, like Claudius said, fast 

charging just because you can 

and you charge your vehicles 

without considering these aspects, 

then fast charging is probably 

not the right choice». 

Is there anything we can do 

to bring low TCO, longevity, 

safety, and environmentally 

friendliness more into line? 

C.J. «There is a lot you can do 

for TCO and safety. Depending 

on charge patterns, storing 

the assets, how you park them 

20 

21

INTERVIEW 

and how you use them, you can 

easily extend the lifetime of a 

battery by more than 10% and 

thus bring down the total cost of 

ownership». 

M.U. «It’s about optimizing 

their usage profiles. There is 

always a specific use case and 

there will need to be a specific 

profile to actually bring down 

the TCO. This really can be different 

between fleets of buses, 

fleets of trucks and fleets of medium-sized 

transportation vehicles. 

We need to raise awareness 

for reliable operation and better 

educate fleet operators and end 

users. Optimizing the use cases 

means optimizing their environmental 

friendliness». 

C.J. «Speaking about environmental 

friendliness: large populations 

of batteries are being 

replaced at the end of the warranty 

period, and not when they 

are not fulfilling their needs anymore. 

They often go into waste 

treatment, and not into recycling. 

Batteries are designed to 

withstand the complete warranty 

period - thus, very simply, they 

all will live longer! Changing 

them at the end of the warranty 

period means that you’re throwing 

away millions of Euros and 

tons of batteries». 

Mentioning use cases after the 

warranty and after the first 

life: there is hardly any 2ndlife 

market for vehicle batteries 

that deserves the name. 

What hurdles have to be overcome, 

what challenges await 

us here in order to advance the 

establishment of 2nd life use? 

M.U. «Second-life will be 

a hot market in the future. 

We are working on a project 

called GUW+3 in Hanover, 

where we are equipping tram 

substations with 2nd-life batteries 

to buffer energy and 

charge e-buses. This is a market 

that is probably growing 

within the coming years». 

C.J. «But nobody buys a pick in 

a poke and nobody pays a good 

«Fast charging mostly has cell degradation as a consequence. For a 

fleet operator the TCO is at the end always the main point to look at. 

If the short-term economical advantages gained by faster charging 

outweigh the long-term problems, i.e. premature failure and 

lower resell value, than that can be a fair deal» 

price for a used battery with virtually 

no knowledge about the 

past usage, the current state and 

especially the projected lifetime 

for the second use application, 

and this is exactly the same as 

with the warranty». 

H.H. «Couldn’t agree more. Essentially 

you need something like 

a battery passport including data 

history and especially an outlook. 

Otherwise, people can’t engineer 

a stationary power container. It’s 

important to know in which kind 

of projects the batteries could be 

used in a second-life application. 

This is all about data availability 

and sharing». 

C.J. «It’s not even possible today. 

There is no possibility a doctor 

can tell you when you’re going to 

die and it works the same for batteries. 

You need the record of the 

past to be able to extrapolate the 

future lifetime - and for batteries: 

value. Someone needs to take the 

risk of failure in the second usage 

scenario and someone needs to 

give a second warranty. Either 

it’s an insurance company, the 

second-life manufacturer or the 

OEM. And this can only be guaranteed 

by transparent and open 

data exchange. Luckily, more and 

more transport operators and 

asset owners require open data 

transfer from the OEM side». 

22

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. 

FORECASTING 2022 E-BUS SHARE IN EUROPE 

MARKET 

DOUBLING 

Over 6,000 battery-electric buses are set to 

be registered in 2022 in Europe, according 

to Interact Analysis’ forecast. Upfront price 

remains the main barrier to adoption 

In 2021, we estimate that 3,471 urban 

BEV buses were registered in Europe, 

22% of the total of 15,923 buses. That’s 

far behind China but far ahead of most 

of the rest of the world. According to our 

country level database from our report on 

Hybrid and Electric Trucks and Buses the 

UK and the Scandinavian countries were 

well ahead of that 22% figure, while much 

of the rest of Europe was behind. The leaders 

in BEV sales in 2021 were Germany 

with 575 BEV buses, the UK with 550 and 

France with 512. 

The Netherlands has already moved to close 

to 100% electric buses as well, but its lower 

total bus market means that, even so, its 

BEV shipments are still far behind those of 

France and Germany. 

2022 was already expected to be a strong 

year for electric buses, but the effects of 

the Russian invasion of Ukraine have given 

the market a boost as countries in Europe 

seek energy independence in addition 

to existing goals around air pollution and 

climate change. 

E-bus market to grow 100% in ‘22 

We currently project 6,155 BEV buses 

in Europe in 2022, or 39.5% of a total of 

15,591. This assumes a significant number 

of orders in the second half of the year (considering 

that the registrations from January 

to June were 1,768, see page 6) and assumes 

that there will not be a (major) recession in 

the second half of the year. 

The above numbers do not include fuel cell 

vehicles, which are currently about 1% of 

the total and growing. They also don’t include 

intercity buses, where BEV has a 

much smaller penetration. 

The majority of buses will still be fossil fuels 

in 2022 for various reasons. One is available 

supply: the production of electric vehicles 

cannot be tripled overnight. Battery gigafactories 

do not go from design to mass production 

in a matter of months, either. Companies 

are clearly planning for big increases but this 

will play out steadily over the next 3-4 years. 

Supply chains in 2022 have been difficult, 

slowing down production. A second reason 

is that the dependency on Russian fossil 

fuel is, especially for some countries such 

as Germany, more a dependency on gas 

than oil. While less diesel buses reduces de- 

24 

25

OUTLOOKS 

pendency on foreign oil, more electric buses 

make it slightly harder to avoid importing 

gas. Buses use more electricity and therefore 

will increase demand on the electricity grid, 

leading to more gas needed to produce electricity. 

In the long term this doesn’t matter 

much: firstly because buses are a small share 

of total electricity and secondly because they 

can be charged overnight and at other times 

that demand is low. However, in 2022, anything 

that will increase electricity demand, 

even a small amount, will be viewed with 

suspicion in some countries. A third reason 

is that introducing electric buses into 

cities is not just a matter of buying them. 

Routes need to be planned against battery 

pack sizes, charging hubs need to be created, 

power needs to reach the charging hubs. 

Subsidies need to be applied for and other 

paperwork completed. 

On prices of e-buses... 

Lastly, BEV buses are expensive. €500,000 

for a 12-metre bus was typical in Europe 

2021. In countries without good subsidies, 

diesel buses still make economic sense. The 

situation on BEV bus penetration could be 

improved if European buses could have a 

cost similar to that of Chinese and South 

American buses, which are often near 

€300,000. Some of the lower cost of Chinese-made 

buses is explained by smaller 

battery packs and higher quality buses and 

more stringent regulations in Europe, but not 

all of it. The other part of it is that Chinese 

OEMs such as BYD appear to have achieved 

better economies of scale. €300,000 12-meter 

buses in Europe won’t happen any time 

soon, especially given the supply chain issues 

that have affected component and other 

pricing in 2022. But, at the very least, it is 

hoped that prices will move in that direction 

within this decade. 

TCO under the lens 

Leaders in 2021 included Solaris, ADL and 

Chinese manufacturers such as Yutong and 

BYD. However, many others are only at the 

level of 100 units per year or lower. Some of 

these companies, perhaps including MAN, 

Ebusco and Mercedes, can help the market 

grow by stepping up production in 2022- 

A LONG WAY TO 2030 

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 

BEV buses 1,663 2,082 3,471 6,155 8,447 9,422 9,460 10,103 

All others 19,463 14,333 12,452 9,436 7,580 7,029 6,002 6,384 

Total buses 21,126 16,415 15,923 15,591 16,027 16,451 15,462 16,486 

Europe city bus registrations forecasts. 

Source: Interact Analysis 

2024 and achieving more orders. 

The total cost of ownership analysis for BEV 

buses in Europe shows a 30% advantage in 

2022 (compared to diesel), with some variations 

by country. This is based on a 11-year 

lifetime (so a calculation from 2022 – 2033). 

BEV buses are €200,000 more in up-front 

vehicle cost on average (and in addition require 

the cost of dedicated infrastructure) but 

gain more than that back over the lifetime 

in fuel savings according to the TCO model 

included in our report. Additional benefits 

are also projected on maintenance and 

resale value. 

Subsidies count! 

Subsidies vary by country, but, where available, 

typically boost the TCO from a 30% 

advantage to 40% while significantly reducing 

the payback period. This can make a 

significant difference in adoption, especially 

where finance for up-front cost is limited. It 

may not seem a big difference but in practice 

it has a significant impact on adoption, partly 

because it reduces the payback period on the 

original investment. 

By 2023-2024, BEV buses will be the de- 

fault choice in some Northern and Western 

European countries and more countries will 

be in a position to join the Netherlands by 

having all of their new buses electric. Eastern 

Europe will be a more mixed picture, 

but big orders are expected to occur there as 

well. From 2024 to 2026, we forecast slower 

growth in BEV buses in Europe as some 

countries will already have developed a mature 

market dominated by electric buses. 

The timing of these predictions can certainly 

be debated as can the question of which European 

country will take the leadership posi- 

We project 6,155 BEV buses 

in Europe in 2022, or 39.5% 

of a total of 15,591. This assumes 

a significant number 

of orders in the 2nd half of 

the year and assumes that 

there will not be a (major) 

recession. The above numbers 

do not include H2 vehicles, 

which are currently 1% 

of the total and growing. 

Subsidies vary by country, 

but, where available, 

typically boost the TCO 

from a 30% advantage to 

40% while significantly 

reducing the payback 

period. This can make a 

significant difference in 

adoption, especially where 

finance for up-front 

cost is limited. By 2023- 

2024, BEV buses will 

be the default choice in 

some Northern and Western 

European countries 

and more countries 

will be in a position to 

join the Netherlands by 

having all of their new 

buses electric. Eastern 

Europe will be a more 

mixed picture. 

tion in 2022. But two things are very clear. 

Firstly, the progress of BEV urban buses in 

Europe is well behind China, but well ahead 

of the rest of the world. 

A look outside Europe 

The US for example is registering less urban 

buses per year than France or Germany, in 

spite of being a much larger country with a 

bigger population. And much of the Middle 

East, Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific 

(excluding China) also has a low penetration 

of BEV buses due to the lack of subsidies 

and infrastructure and greater focus on upfront 

cost. Meanwhile China’s lead, as is 

well known and as was discussed on a recent 

Sustainable Bus webinar, is very strong 

in buses. Secondly, BEVs are here to stay 

in Europe. Competition with fuel cell and 

diesel buses will continue but the trajectory 

towards BEV buses taking a larger share and 

becoming the default option in some countries 

in the next few years is clear. In buses 

BEVs are, as in other areas, emerging as the 

winner after considering all factors including 

lifetime cost, climate change impact and 

clean air. Jamie Fox (Interact Analysis) 

26 

27

OUTLOOKS 

MAAS AND THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY IN CITIES (AND NOT ONLY) 

HOW TO BEAT 

PRIVATE CARS? 

Public transport operators are joining forces with 

taxi providers in order to win the battle against 

private cars. We involved UITP and MaaS Global 

along a discussion on the future of MaaS 

The MaaS concept, which used to 

be a purely academic notion, is 

steadily becoming an integral part 

of the plans of many transit authorities 

around the world. The number of cities 

and operators introducing trials is growing, 

along with the demand for updated digital 

systems enabling the use of MaaS. The integration 

of providers for shared cars, bikes, 

scooters, Segways etc. has therefore been 

introduced in many projects. That said, 

private car ownership continues to be extremely 

popular. Comfort and convenience 

are obvious reasons for the massive use of 

private cars. Whenever possible, door-todoor 

transport is surely the main reason 

for preferring a car ride instead of catching 

public transport, no matter how comfortable 

and efficient it could be. No timetables, no 

crowds, first and last mile and low service 

areas covered according to one’s own needs, 

and a feeling of safety and independence. 

This is difficult to beat, but not impossible. 

Competition with private cars can be based 

on a combined offer in addition to a digital 

payment solution that adds value when 

choosing multimodality and provides a trip 

planner that guides the passenger through 

possible changes in transit modality. 

So, the question here is simple: how can 

we attract passengers who are in 

need of a door-to-door service, 

by offering mobility solutions 

that don’t rely on the use of their 

own cars? 

MaaS could be the answer. In 

fact, traditional means of transport 

(such as PT, taxis, private 

cars etc.) are facing great changes 

with new concepts of mobility 

being born in a digital era 

which are ready to be integrated 

into a MaaS platform quite easily. 

Many companies are already 

offering these kinds of services, 

and free-floating car-sharing, 

round-trip car-sharing, peer-topeer 

car-sharing and ride-hailing 

are alternatives that are 

slowly attracting attention wherever they 

are available. 

Nowadays we can see a variety of free-floating 

fleets of cars available in city centres in 

many locations. Round-trip car-sharing is a 

good solution when travelling outside a city 

centre and is a useful alternative in an environment 

where cars are needed to cover 

geographical areas that are poorly served 

by PT. The peer-to-peer car-sharing service, 

which is less popular at the moment, would 

also make it possible to rent out one’s car 

to someone through an app when you don’t 

need to use it yourself. 

The question is simple: 

how can we attract 

passengers who are in 

need of a door-to-door 

service, by offering 

mobility solutions that 

don’t rely on the use of 

their own cars? 

MaaS could be the answer. 

Focus on flexible alternatives 

However, the success of sharing depends 

merely on the mindset of the population as 

the technical solutions are already in place. 

What needs to be reinforced is that MaaS 

means Mobility as a Service and its concept 

is essentially to provide a mobility offer that 

is more adaptable and meets the needs of 

the traveller in a specific location and time. 

In particular, a MaaS container can include 

flexible alternatives such as private cars in 

combination with a variety of convenient 

mobility solutions. For instance, MaaS 

transit service and public transport in general 

can serve areas with a large population 

while flexible solutions such as shared vehicles 

services and on-demand services could 

cover the first and last mile areas. 

We have asked Lidia Signor, Combined 

Mobility Manager at the International 

Association of Public Transport (UITP), 

some questions to understand how such an 

important worldwide platform can tackle 

the issue: 

What has UITP done so far to promote 

the use of MaaS solutions and discourage 

the use of private cars? 

«In 2019 UITP published a Policy Brief 

on MaaS in which important key recommendations 

were included such as the 

need to reinforce institutional and policy 

integration to overcome institutional 

fragmentation. In order to do this, it is 

important to take into account the capabilities 

and resources needed to handle 

algorithms and data analytics, efficient 

multimodal urban planning, and the implementation 

of KPI policy in line with 

urban mobility plans». 

So, according to UITP’s vision, what is 

28 

29

OUTLOOKS 

the key to setting up successful MaaS 

solutions? 

«UITP has listed a few key points. First of all, 

building the eco-system through a participative 

process and the establishment of a code 

of conduct. Secondly, ensuring that public 

transport and active mobility options are focused 

on. Thirdly, implementing policies for 

data reciprocity and protection, including 

the development of policies based on the use 

of algorithms and policies for quality standards. 

Fourthly, pricing and impact of packages 

and sales on public transport budgets. 

Lastly, facilitating the implementation and 

success of MaaS projects by fostering innovation, 

funding initiatives and facilitating 

partnerships with contractual frameworks». 

Lidia Signor rightly pointed out some crucial 

points such as infrastructure intervention 

and fostering innovation. Over sixty 

years of infrastructure policies which prioritized 

the circulation of cars and creation of 

parking spaces in cities, for example, have 

left limited space for PT, let alone the alternatives. 

Lidia Signor, UITP: «The 

integration of taxis is an 

emerging trend, especially 

for commercial integrators, 

that relies on partnerships 

and digitalisation capacity 

within a commercial 

framework. This in return 

also creates challenges, 

especially for local policies 

and government-led 

MaaS schemes, aimed 

at reducing car use and 

maximising the use of 

more sustainable services 

but also providing social 

services that taxis often 

ensure. Uber is planning to 

integrate taxis in their app 

in the years to come and 

this will give a boost to the 

digitalisation of taxis». 

Towards a combined mobility offer 

At local authority level, one important aspect 

should also be taken into consideration: 

changing the traveller’s mindset. This is a 

change that will surely take some time for 

all the reasons we said earlier but that can be 

encouraged with solutions such as advantageous 

fares. The traveller will have to find it 

economically worthwhile to go from A to B 

with a combined mobility offer. Marketing 

information about what MaaS can do and 

the advantages it offers, along with a deep 

and comprehensive study of the customers, 

should be more widespread. There should 

be a policy of incentives that highlight the 

benefits and minimize the issues. Enhanced 

accessibility should also be emphasized as 

well as cooperation based on a balanced 

stakeholder policy and the inclusion of added-value 

services such as weather forecasts, 

tourist information etc. 

Basically, by analyzing the variety of existing 

shared transport business models, 

we can see that the majority of 

mobility needs of travellers are 

already covered. It is only a matter 

of making people know more 

about Maas and how useful it is. 

Obviously, this is easier to implement 

in towns, and more difficult 

in rural areas and suburbs where, 

generally speaking, there are 

fewer mobility solutions. More 

difficult, but not impossible. 

Taxis in MaaS 

An important service is surely 

taxis, which are essential to cover 

the needs of the traveller wherever 

there is no PT alternative. In 

some countries the topic of taxis 

in MaaS is a sore point, due to current local 

regulations regarding this particular type of 

service, the existence of independent taxi 

cooperatives, and the poor or non-existent 

digitalisation of the service. These are all 

factors that make the offer really fragmented 

and difficult to integrate straight away. 

Despite that, there are quite a few examples 

of successful integration into a MaaS project. 

Furthermore, it must be said that the 

integration of apps for chauffeur car-hire 

services, cars-on-demand services and other 

types of ride-hailing services also fill the 

streets with many vehicles. 

We also asked Lidia Signor the following 

questions: 

Do you think that we are on the right 

track with integrating taxis into MaaS? 

«The integration of taxis is an emerging 

trend, especially for commercial integrators, 

that relies on partnerships and digitalisation 

capacity within a commercial 

framework. This in return also creates 

challenges, especially for local policies and 

government-led MaaS schemes, aimed at 

reducing car use and maximising the use of 

more sustainable services but also providing 

social services that taxis often ensure». 

When did the process of integrating taxis 

into Maas start? 

«Taxis have been involved in MaaS 

schemes since the beginning, for example 

within the commercial offer of MaaS 

Global, integrated in the Whim app in 

Helsinki. More recently, in 2020, the 

MaaS app developed by JREast in Japan, 

called Ringo pass, started with the integration 

of taxis, first with the information 

layer and the payment system (through 

QR codes) and then with the booking 

system. Meanwhile, Uber is planning to 

integrate taxis in their app in the years 

to come and this will give a boost to the 

digitalisation of taxis». 

As Lidia Signor mentioned, the Whim app 

is a pioneer in the MaaS project. We therefore 

asked the CEO and Founder of MaaS 

Global, Sampo Hietanen, a few questions 

on the subject. 

Mr. Hietanen, is the taxi service integrated 

in the Finnish project? 

«Yes, it is. We cooperate with three taxi 

companies in the Helsinki region: Taksi Helsinki, 

Lähitaksi and Menevä. Taksi Helsinki 

and Lähitaksi cover the whole Uusimaa region 

and Menevä works in Turku as well. 

We also have the taxi service integrated in 

other markets: in Vienna with Taxi 31300, 

in Antwerp with Antwerp Taxi and DTM 

Antwerp, and in Tokyo with Japan Taxi». 

Sampo Hietanen, CEO and 

Founder of MaaS Global: 

«Different taxi services 

usually function in a similar 

way. Our service sends 

them information regarding 

the start and end location 

of the trip. After that we get 

information about the price, 

when the taxi is ready to 

pick up the customer etc». 

Was it easy to integrate taxis in the MaaS 

project, technically speaking? Was the 

service already digitalized? 

«Different taxi services usually function in 

a similar way. Our service sends them information 

regarding the start and end location 

of the trip. After that we get information 

about the price, when the taxi is ready to 

pick up the customer etc. So, in that sense, 

the integration was fairly easy». 

So, was it a good start? 

«Yes. After the first taxi service was integrated, 

it was easier to integrate the next 

one. On the other hand, as the number of 

service providers increases, the backend becomes 

more complex. Not all the APIs were 

ready in the beginning, but the taxi service 

providers developed them fairly quickly to 

fit our need». 

Did you have issues with the taxi driver 

companies and/or trade unions? 

«Not really. For us the integration of the 

30 

31

OUTLOOKS 

ZERO COMPROMISE. 

MOVE. TOGETHER. 

«In Finland, Whim 

works with four rental 

car service providers: 

three traditional car 

rental companies 

(Herz, Sixt and Toyota 

rent) and one service 

provider (24Rent), which 

operates a fully digital 

rental service, where 

the service provider can 

relocate the cars based 

on customer needs. 

The customer’s driver’s 

license is verified online 

and the car doors open 

digitally. Digital car 

rental is easy as there 

is no need to visit the 

office to get the car or 

the keys». 

taxi service was fairly simple from that 

point of view». 

Which kind of private car services are integrated 

in the MaaS project? 

«In Finland, Whim works with four rental 

car service providers: three traditional car 

rental companies (Herz, Sixt and Toyota 

rent) and one service provider (24Rent), 

which operates a fully digital rental service, 

where the service provider can relocate the 

cars based on customer needs. The customer’s 

driver’s license is verified online and the 

car doors open digitally. Digital car rental 

is easy as there is no need to visit the office 

to get the car or the keys. The customer has 

to return the car to the vicinity of the pickup 

location. Coverage of these services varies 

a bit between the service providers but all 

of them work in multiple cities in Finland». 

Are the services fully digitalized? 

«Service providers have been digitalized 

but not all the interfaces of their products/ 

services have been ready when they joined 

the Whim platform. For example, some of 

the ticket types may have been missing and 

we had to wait for them». 

What usage rate trends have you been 

observing in the implemented MaaS project? 

«We can have a look at the statistics about 

the number of trips made by Whim users 

between July 1st 2018 and July 31st 2022: 

public transport 88.75%, bikes 8.72%, taxi 

1.93%, car rental 0.16%, e-scooters 0.45%. 

«Service providers have 

been digitalized but 

not all the interfaces of 

their products/services 

have been ready when 

they joined the Whim 

platform. For example, 

some of the ticket types 

may have been missing 

and we had to wait 

for them». 

It has to be noted that some numbers are 

based on our estimations, since currently 

we don’t have data, for example, on how 

many individual trips are made with a rental 

car during the rental period. But those 

numbers will give you an idea». 

What kind of critical situation did you 

have to face in implementing the projects? 

«We took our series B funding, roughly 30 

million at the end of 2019, and started to 

ramp up the organization for scaling. The 

organization was in place in early 2020 and 

when COVID hit to everyone’s disappointment, 

our team had to scale down and save 

cash, while at the same time holding on to 

the capabilities we had developed. However, 

in the midst of this turmoil, in July 2020 

we hit the record in paying users. Even 

with limited resourcing, we were able to hit 

the record number of users. We were able 

to give people options when PT was not a 

choice. This tells you about the resilience of 

the Maas business model». 

Rossella De Maria 

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32


We’re talking of two buses 

sharing the same drive 

system – relying on ZF’s 

AxTrax, the electrified axle 

built in Friedrichshafen 

that has almost earned a 

monopoly of the segment 

over the years. Siemens is 

at their heels and announced 

the launch of an 

electric axle jointly with 

the renewal of their ELFA 

range. Cummins is getting 

ready to boost their share 

thanks to a resonant 

acquisition campaign 

(Meritor, that is). 

Also battery formula is the 

same: NMC. The difference 

lies in the maximum 

capacity: 389 kWh for 

Switch, 490 for Van Hool. 

Switch is to be praised for 

the vehicle’s innovations: 

wheelchair accessibility 

from front entry, low 

weight, a painstaking design. 

Both bus makers opt 

for plug-in depot charging. 

SWITCH MOBILITY E1 - VAN HOOL A12 

WE’LL HAVE OUR SAY 

The 12-metre brand new e-bus models by Switch Mobility 

and Van Hool interpret energy transition of public transport 

with a focus on native electric products. Mass reduction and 

innovative design are a must for both. For Switch, heir to 

Optare, this is the first model for mainland European markets 

Switch Mobility first e-bus 

model is conceived and developed 

with mainland Europe’s 

markets in mind. Van Hool 

new range is developed from scratch and 

embraces the ‘electric only’ paradigm. The 

Anglo-Indian group taking on the legacy 

of the Optare brand and the family-owned 

Belgian bus maker stole the spotlight 

last June at the European Mobility Expo 

in Paris with their product launches. Together 

with Iveco Urbanway mild hybrid, 

these vehicles form the milestones of a 

2022 that finally sees the industry back in 

shape to offer something new, after two 

understandably pretty dormant pandemic 

years that brought very little novelties in 

terms of products. 

We’re talking of two buses sharing the same 

drive system – relying on ZF’s AxTrax, the 

electrified axle built in Friedrichshafen 

that has almost earned a monopoly of the 

segment over the years. Siemens is at their 

heels and announced the launch of an electric 

axle jointly with the renewal of their 

ELFA range. Cummins is getting ready to 

boost their share thanks to a resonant acquisition 

campaign (Meritor, that is). 

Focus on depot charging 

Back to the two buses being compared: 

also battery formula is the same, lithium 

ion plus nickel, manganese and cobalt. 

Spelt out in three letters: NMC. The difference 

lies in the maximum capacity: 

389 kWh for Switch, 490 for Van Hool. 

Switch is to be praised for the vehicle’s 

innovations: wheelchair accessibility 

from front entry, low weight, a painstaking 

design. Both bus makers opt for depot 

charging through standard CCS2. 

FACE TO FACE 

Switch Mobility e1 Van Hool A12 

Length mm 12,000 12,225 

Width mm 2,550 2,550 

Height mm 3,100 3,400 

Overhang front / rear mm 2,777 / 3,223 2,825 / 3,610 

Wheelbase mm 6,000 5,790 

Passenger capacity n. 93 - 

Seats n. 28 41 

Internal height mm 2360 - 

Front axle ZF RL82 EC ZF RL82 EC 

Rear axle ZF AxTrax ZF AxTrax 

Motor brand model ZF AxTrax ZF AxTrax 

Motor type Asynchronous Asynchronous 

Motor layout At wheel hubs At wheel hubs 

Power continuous kW - - 

Power peak kW 2 x 125 = 250 2 x 125 = 250 

Torque continuous Nm 2 x 357 = 714 2 x 357 = 714 

Torque peak Nm 2 x 485 = 970 2 x 485 = 970 

Battery brand model - Akasol 

Battery formula NMC NMC 

Battery cooling - Liquid 

Battery placement Roof Roof 

Battery capacity kWh 389 490 

Battery usable energy kWh 346 - 

Charging power kW 150 - 

Charging technology plug-in CCS2 Combo plug-in CCS2 Combo 

Empty weight kg 10,775 13,000 

34 

35


SWITCH MOBILITY E1 

REMAINER! 

Switch Mobility has launched not only an e-bus model, 

but an industrial strategy targeting Europe. To be built in 

Spain, the e1 features low weight and great accessibility 

The bus manufacturer 

places special emphasis 

on weight reduction; and 

rightly so, considering that 

the 10,775 kg of unladen 

weight place their e1 

among the least cumbersome 

e-buses in this respect. 

Which is due, among other 

things, to the welded tube 

frame. Passenger capacity 

is up to 93. 

Let’s begin with Switch. The brand 

saw the light in mid 2021 and it’s 

owned by Indian Hinduja Group. 

Switch Mobility has inherited 

the knowledge built in time by the manufacturer 

under the Optare brand: in 

short, the new brand presents itself as the 

zero-emission division of Ashok Leyland 

(they belong to the same group). While 

this latter will keep focusing on internal 

combustion engine commercial vehicles, 

Switch will take care of developing and 

selling exclusively zero-emission vehicles. 

In addition to successfully recruiting 

a big management name – their CEO is 

Andy Palmer, former top manager at 

Aston Martin – the company shifted their 

geographical focus. 

Europe in the spotlight 

While Optare’s historical connection with 

the UK market will not change, Switch 

Mobility has announced plans to invest 

100 million euros in ten years into production 

facilities located in Valladolid, Spain, 

with two production lines including for 

their e1. Plans include later addition of a 

plant for battery packs assembling. The 

bus manufacturer places special emphasis 

on weight reduction; and rightly so, 

considering that the 10,775 kg of unladen 

weight place their e1 among the least 

cumbersome e-buses in this respect. 

Which is due, among other things, to the 

welded tube frame. Passenger capacity is 

up to 93. Not bad for a battery-electric bus 

(the eCitaro has a comparable battery capacity 

but can accommodate a maximum 

of 70 people). 

Going back to technical specs, the bus is 

driven by 250 kW in-wheel ZF motors. 

Curiously enough, just a year ago Switch 

Mobility signed a partnership agreement 

with Dana (which also acquired a 1% 

stake in the company). 28 passengers 

can be seated onboard, the bus can have 

2 or 3 double-door entries according 

to configuration. 

Entrance height is 250 mm with kneeling 

in use. The wheelchair access through 

both the front and the mid door stands out 

as a true one-of-a kind feature. 

Accessibility? Top-notch 

Heating and air conditioning use 28 and 

25 kW, respectively, with separate driver 

system. Interiors are very carefully designed. 

As for active safety equipment, there’s 

plenty: the bus lines up ASR, ESP, blind 

spot monitoring, parking sensors with 

rear automatic braking system. The bus 

has in-house diagnostic technology: the 

iAlert system allows for real time and 

remote monitoring, plus it offers digital 

battery management tools. 

36 

37


VAN HOOL A12 

TENDING TO ZERO 

Only ZE products in Van Hool new range of city buses 

(which can also be homologated in Class II). It starts with 

the A12: technology partners are among the best in class 

The brand new ‘A’ range 

is made exclusively of 

zero-emission powertrains: 

battery-electric, fuel cell 

and trolleybuses with IMC 

technology. The structure is 

self-supporting and made 

of high-resistance steel and 

composite materials (side 

panels are made of Hylite, 

while the roof consists of a 

single block of steel). Batteries 

are roof-mounted. 

The 12-meter Van Hool A12 

showcased in Paris provides 

the springboard for a range renewal 

set to include the 10, 18 

and 24 m, too. A genuine new course for 

a family-run company that, though boasting 

a diversified business encompassing, 

above all, the tourist bus segment, 

is increasingly focused on switching to 

alternative drives. A forerunner in the 

use of fuel cells, last March Van Hool 

landed a huge order from Paris, where 

it’s going to deliver a good 56 so-called 

‘trambuses’, that is to say battery-electric 

double-articulated buses fit for fast 

charging; which in the French capital 

will be done by means of ground-based 

infrastructure thanks to the SRS systems 

by Alstom (in its very first bus application). 

That’s quite a novelty. They will 

travel on two new BRT lines. 

Going back to range renewal, we’re 

still in Paris, where the Van Hool A12 

was presented. The brand new ‘A’ range 

is made exclusively of zero-emission 

powertrains: battery-electric, fuel 

cell and trolleybuses with In Motion 

Charging technology. 

No compromises on battery capacity 

The structure is self-supporting and 

made of high-resistance steel and 

composite materials (side panels are 

made of Hylite, while the roof consists 

of a single block of steel). Light 

assemblies are all full-led. The front 

axle is from ZF, too: RL82 EC, 

independent suspension. 

Batteries are roof-mounted, with the bus 

being some 30 cm higher than the e1 by 

Switch. According to the manufacturer, 

the unladen weight is 13 ton, a good 200 

kg heavier compared to the bus from the 

Anglo-Indian group (according to the 

data sheet). This may be partially due 

to the Belgian bus having higher capacity 

batteries, which can house 490 kWh 

of energy. Modules are supplied by the 

German-based Akasol, recently acquired 

by USA giant Borgwarner. 

The passenger compartment can accommodate 

up to 41 Kiel Ideo 30 seats 

– that’s the standard. The driver can 

instead enjoy a comfy seat by ISRI, the 

6860/885 NTS2. 

As for air conditioning, the bus features 

a heat pump system Heavac Borealis 2.0 

(Aurora group), recovering heat from the 

drive system and featuring an integrated 

battery cooling unit. Regarding safety, in 

addition to the ever-present EBS, ABS, 

ASR, we find hill start assist, stability 

control via ESC/ESP; plus, available as 

an option, TPMS and Mobileye Shield+ 

system offering pedestrian, cyclist, and 

obstacle blind spot detection. 

38 

39


IVECO URBANWAY HYBRID 

MILD WAVE 

Iveco Bus embraces mild hybrid 

technology, too. The full hybrid 

Urbanway bows out leaving the stage 

to the version with a Voith unit. Also 

available with a gas engine 

40 

No sooner said than done. Iveco Bus 

joins the ranks of light city hybrids, a 

technology already successfully embraced 

by MAN, Mercedes and Solaris. 

Developed by Voith, the hybrid unit makes its 

appearance in the powertrain of the new Urbanway, 

freshly reintroduced with quite a few 

novelties right as the new Euro VI Step E bus 

range was being launched. Just like the Lion 

brand but differently than the Stuttgart-based 

manufacturer, Iveco Bus included the mild hybrid 

option also in their gas-fuelled product list. 

The reorganized range will thus mark the exit of 

the standard hybrid technology, which featured 

a 140 kW permanent magnet electric motor by 

BAE Systems matched to a Tector 7 combustion 

engine as generator. 

Energy consumption down 

The manufacturer states consumption will be 

cut by 16% as compared to the diesel version. 

As for CO2 emissions, they are 19% less when 

using renewable fuels. The mild hybrid technology 

is soon to be found on the Crealis and the 

Crossway Low Entry, too. The first deliveries 

of the Urbanway hybrid (whose ‘baby shower’ 

was celebrated in early June at the Paris European 

Mobility Expo) are scheduled for the end of 

the year, while the Class II champion in the new 

configuration “has already been introduced in 

the framework of several 2022 call for bids, and 

it’s scheduled for delivery as of the first quarter 

of 2023” the bus maker says. 

As said at the outset, Voith is Iveco Bus chosen 

partner in this mild hybrid endeavour. They designed 

the 48 Volt hybrid unit developed with 

the Diwa NXT seven speed gearbox in mind 

(four speeds plus three overdrives) available as 

Zooming in on the gas 

version, we find roof 

mounted gas tanks 

placed no higher than 

3,300 mm from the 

ground; they can store 

960 to 1,610 litres of gas. 41


The transmission 

includes a CRU – Central 

Recuperation Unit – 35 

kW of peak power and 

25 of continuous – plus 

a generator to recover 

kinetic energy from 

braking which also serves 

as a starting unit. It can 

deliver 300 Nm. Based on 

info by Voith, the Diwa 

NXT enables to save 7% 

on fuel consumption 

versus its predecessor 

Diwa 6. 

42 

a standard in this configuration. 

The transmission includes a CRU – 

Central Recuperation Unit – 35 kW of 

peak power and 25 of continuous – plus 

a generator to recover kinetic energy 

from braking which also serves as 

a starting unit (the Stop&Start system 

gets automatically engaged). It can deliver 

300 Nm. Based on info by Voith, 

the Diwa NXT enables to save 7% on 

fuel consumption versus its predecessor 

Diwa 6. 

Voith’s fingerprints on the Urbanway 

The configuration with CRU reaches 

9%. It must be mentioned that it’s in 

suburban and intercity applications that 

the Diwa NXT reaches top performance 

thus outpacing the Diwa 6 more sharply 

in terms of consumption. The feature 

list includes a roof-mounted small 

48 Volt LTO battery with a capacity of 

around 1 kWh. 

The transmission partners with the 

well-established Cursor 9 internal com- 

ID CARD 

Length mm 12,093 18,003 

Width mm 2,500 2,500 

Height (diesel version) mm 3,165 3,165 

Wheelbase mm 6,120 5,355 / 6,675 

Overhang front / rear mm 2,723 / 3,250 2,723 / 3,250 

Internal height mm 2,378 2,378 

Entrance height mm 320 / 330 / 340 320 / 330 / 340 

Doors width mm 1,200 1,200 

Turning circle mm 10,785 11,713 

Seats n. 36 51 

Engine brand model FPT Cursor 9 FPT Cursor 9 

Displacement l 8.7 8.7 

Output kW 230 268 

Torque Nm 1,300 / 1,100 giri 1,650 / 1,200 giri 

Transmission Voith Diwa NXT Voith Diwa NXT 

Hybrid module power kW 25 / 35 25 / 35 

Front axle RL75 RL75 

Rear axle ZF AV133EP ZF AV133EP 

bustion engine, boasting 8.7 litres. The 

engine’s mounting arrangement is one 

of the main novelties that premiered 

on the range renewal labelled as Step 

E: it’s now longitudinal. What for? Improving 

on weight balancing and ease 

of maintenance. Alternators are also 

tagged as new: there are three, 150 Ampere 

each. Stronger power, to meet the 

higher energy demand due to onboard 

electronics. 

As for ‘cosmetic’ features, the Urbanway 

is now offered in a redesigned version 

whose flush-mounted rear lights 

blend into bold red bands. 

The bus comes in three lengths: 10.5, 

12 and 18 m. Doors standardly rotate 

inwards, but an outward sliding option 

is also available for doors other than the 

front one. 

Seats were designed by Polish company 

Ster (other suppliers are available on 

request). 

Fuel options include both diesel and 

CNG. Zooming in on the gas version, 

we find roof mounted gas tanks placed 

no higher than 3,300 mm from the 

ground; they can store 960 to 1,610 litres 

of compressed natural gas – which 

corresponds to a minimum of three to a 

maximum of five tanks. 

Driving range? Up to 600 km. Debuting 

in the driver compartment is the new 

Actia Podium 2 dashboard incorporating 

a 7-inch full colour display. 

43


SCANIA CITYWIDE BEV 

2ND LAUNCH 

44 

Scania relaunched their electric bus: 

the 12 m Citywide BEV can be Class 

I and Class II compliant. A new range 

stretching all the way through the 15 m 

to include bendy buses 

Scania’s new generation is (also) electric. 

While rethinking their product 

range, the Swedish builder reintroduced 

their Citywide BEV at a press 

event in Södertälje. Curiously enough, this 

was the second unveiling of a model seen at 

Busworld 2019 that has never really hit the market 

so far (except for a few minor orders on the 

domestic market). 

The e-bus will be available in the 11 and 12 m 

integrally low-floor versions to begin with, while 

the 15 m and bendy models (in both the LF 

and LE versions) are soon to follow. 

Production based in Poland 

Production – said Scania - is already underway 

in Slupsk, Poland, a country that’s increasingly 

stating its role of central hub for electric bus 

production – it’s where the vehicles of marketleading 

manufacturer Solaris and MAN Lion’s 

City are also produced. What about target markets? 

First and foremost, Sweden and the rest of 

Scandinavia, with plans to expand to mainland 

and Mediterranean Europe. Keeping an eye on 

South America’s countries, too. 

The new Citywide range features larger and lower 

side windows, a higher ceiling line, a broader 

aisle, and a newly introduced indirect ceiling 

illumination that improves the spaciousness and 

comfort of the onboard environment. 

With a height of 3,270 mm, the new Scania 

Citywide BEV features three double doors and 

a passenger compartment underpinned by 32 

seats. Max passenger capacity is 78. As for the 

vehicle’s (electric) heart, we have a 300 kW, 210 

Nm torque central electric motor made in house. 

Surprisingly, we find a two-speed gearbox: same 

as on the new 7900 Electric range of the other 

Scania presented the 

Citywide BEV at an event in 

Södertälje. It was the 2nd 

unveiling of a model seen at 

Busworld 2019 that hasn’t 

really hit the market so far 

(except for a few orders in 

Sweden). With a height of 

3,270 mm, the new Scania 

Citywide BEV features three 

double doors and a passenger 

compartment with 32 

seats. Max passenger capacity 

is 78. As for the bus’ (electric) 

heart, we have a 300 

kW, 210 Nm torque central 

electric motor made in house 

with a two-speed gearbox: 

same as on the new Volvo 

7900 Electric range. 

ID CARD 

Length mm 12,000 

Width mm 2,555 

Height mm 3,270 

Wheelbase mm 5,200/7,100 

Overhang front / rear mm 2,780/3,415 

Motor supplier 

Traton 

Output peak KW 300 

Output continuous kW 250 

Torque peak Nm 2100 

Stated range km 320 

Battery supplier 

Northvolt 

Battery capacity 254/330 

Front axle payload kg 8,200 

Rear axle payload kg 12,000 

Seats n. 32 

Passenger capacity n. 78 

Swedish brand, Volvo. 

Made for opportunity charging 

The total capacity of the (eight) battery packs is 

254 kWh: not much. It’s no secret that Scania 

relies on fast-charging via roof-mounted pantograph. 

However, the use of NMC batteries instead 

of LTO, more commonly used on Opportunity 

applications, might come as a surprise. Scania is 

planning to switch to Northvolt batteries in the 

future. The bus ticks all the boxes: EBS, Traction 

control, rearview camera, hill holder. 

45

COMPARISON 

18-METER TROLLEYBUS WITH IMC TECHNOLOGY 

OLD BUT GOLD 

Thanks to the introduction of In Motion Charging 

technology, trolleybuses have become full electric 

vehicles in the truest sense. Off-wire operation is 

providing them with unprecedented flexibility 

The possibility to cover over 10 km (peaking 

to 25/30 km depending on models) 

out of the “comfort zone” of overhead lines 

can solve at once any issue that may 

arise from route extension, detours, and 

other operating modalities for which building 

a fixed infrastructure would prove 

burdensome. 

The market of IMC trolleybuses 

IMC trolleybuses are gaining ground on 

European networks, with Switzerland 

surely taking the lion’s share. In fact, 

another 23 18-meter Exquicity produced 

by Van Hool will be delivered in Geneva, 

equipped with batteries, which will allow 

the extension of some routes without 

the need for infrastructure. In Lausanne, 

the first of a series of 27 trolleybuses (12 

to 24 meters) are soon expected to come. 

Lucerne has ordered a further 5 24-meters 

vehicles. 

Significant news come also from France, 

where, after Limoges and St. Etienne, 

Lyon is also ordering new trolleybuses. 

On January 20th, in fact, a deal was finalized 

with Carrosserie Hess for the supply 

of 18 new Lightram 19 articulated 

trolleybuses. 

Esslingen, in Austria, received the first 

of the six Trollino produced by Solaris, 

also equipped with batteries. Also Berlin 

is looking with interest at IMC technology: 

BVG is studying the feasibility of 

installing two-wires infrastructures as 

charging sections. Solaris is also present 

in Lublin (Poland) with 15 trolleybus ordered, 

and on delivery from May 2020. 

Gdynia trolleybus fleet has reached 100 

units. A large order has been awarded to 

Solaris in Czech Republic: 85 Trollino 

will be supplied in Kaunas. 

IMC trolleybuses are available in 12, 18, 

BRAND NEW 

Derived from the model 32 TR, , the T’City 36 TR is the new Skoda 

low-floor trolleybus (12 meters in length). The body is made 

in collaboration with sister company Temsa (which is part of the 

same Czech group PPF with Skoda). The body is similar to the battery-electric 

bus E’City, launched this year and rolled out already 

in Prague, where a fleet of 14 units is operating. The Skoda 36 TR 

model has all the features that a modern trolleybus must have: 

the standard equipment includes, in addition to the low floor, the 

air conditioning system for driver and passenger environment, the 

separated and closed driver’s cab, the video surveillance system. 

Upon request, the customer may have the possibility of autonomous 

operations thanks to batteries, with progressive charging 

mode. This allows the trolleybus to travel up to 15 km without 

connection to the infrastructure. The vehicle 

can accommodate 85 passengers, 27 of 

whom are seated. The electric equipment 

is provided by Skoda, and allows the vehicle 

a maximum speed of up to 65 km/h. This 

is certainly an interesting vehicle, which is 

expected to work especially on Eastern European 

networks, but its presence on other 

networks is not ruled out. The city of Ostrava 

has optioned 18 Skoda 36 TR, whose delivery is scheduled for 

2023, once the tests on the prototype have been completed. S.A. 

and 24 m version, with one or two motors, 

this latter being a compulsory option 

for the 24m trolleybuses already in 

service in Austria and Switzerland. 

Another key plus of IMC technology, 

one that makes IMC buses different from 

battery-operated ones, is that it virtually 

eliminates the need to take recharging 

breaks. This way, service schedules are 

not affected, and neutral sections or legs 

of the routes can be covered with no 

need to reset the trolleybus, as batteries 

supply the auxiliaries. 

Stefano Alfano 

In Motion Charging (IMC) technology 

is adding to trolleybuses that 

little bit “extra” they were missing. 

Once fitted with a diesel motorgenerator 

and unable to break the constraints 

of connection to overhead powerlines, 

thanks to batteries trolleybuses are 

now reinventing themselves as vehicles 

that can combine zero emissions with flexibility. 

But let’s step back a few years, to the “pre- 

IMC” era. The first battery systems did not 

allow for off-wire operation, which curbed 

the vehicle’s potential. The first battery 

packs were heavier and bulkier than 

they were powerful, so trolleybuses could 

only move off-wire at a low speed and 

without passengers. Similarly, even lastgeneration 

motor generator units, albeit 

compliant with the strictest anti-pollution 

regulations and allowing for off-wire 

operation at higher speeds and in service, 

were not giving trolleybuses the flexibility 

they still lacked. Indeed, they were 

designed to be run for short stretches, and 

not for continuous operation. Plus, they 

had an impact on consumption. 

Technology finally came to the rescue. 

Evolved batteries and newly developed 

charging modalities led to the creation of 

In Motion Charging technologies. Batteries 

are now replacing motor generator 

units and they can be charged in slow 

mode while the trolleybus is running under 

overhead lines. Generally based on 

lithium-titanate, these batteries are small 

and performant, capable to withstand 

thousands of charge/discharge cycles, 

allowing trolleybuses to keep their operating 

speed, at full passenger load, for 

several kilometres. Once the bus gets 

back to on-wire operation, batteries get 

recharged. 

IMC trolleybuses are, therefore, full electric 

vehicles in the truest sense. Far more 

important, off-wire operation is now providing 

trolleybuses with unprecedented 

flexibility. 

THE TROLLEYBUS QUARTET 

Hess Swisstrolley 19 DC Iveco Crealis IMC Solaris Trollino 18 Van Hool Exqui.City 18 

Lenght mm 18,750 18,395 18,000 18,610 

Wheelbase front/rear mm - 5,355 / 6,675 - 6,600 / 6,710 

Front overhang mm - 3,195 - 1,900 

Rear overhang mm - 3,170 - 3,400 

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

Height mm 3,500 - 3,680 3,700 

Motor brand / model 2x TSA TMF 35-28-4 Skoda 2x TSA TMF 35-28-4 2x TSA TMF 35-28-4 

permanent magnets permanent magnets permanent magnets 

Output peak kW 2 x 120 240 - 260 2 x 160 2 x 160 

Torque peak Nm 1,341 - - - 

Inverter 

Skoda / Kiepe Electric (IGBT) Skoda / Kiepe Electric (IGBT) Skoda / Kiepe Electric (IGBT) Skoda / Kiepe Electric (IGBT) 

Battery capacity kWh 45 45 45 45 

Range wireless km 15 15 15 15 

Passenger capacity n. 142 125 135 131 

46 

47

COMPARISON 

HESS SWISSTROLLEY 19 DC 

SWISS KING 

Hess holds a dominant position in the Swiss 

trolleybus market. The Swisstrolley, that 

stems from a study from Zurich university, is 

expected to cover 30 km off-wire 

Hess has uncontested rule over the 

Swiss market. Indeed, virtually 

all Swiss networks are served by 

trolleybuses made by the Bellachbased 

manufacturer. Hess has been proving 

his leadership in the double-articulated, 24 m 

segment. The new Swisstrolley, already deployed 

“at home” in Berne and Biel, stems 

from a study from Zurich’s Polytechnic 

School in cooperation with VBZ in Zurich 

and Berne University aimed at achieving 

15% less energy consumption as compared 

to other vehicles. Its body is made of aluminium 

and built based on the CO-BOLT building 

technology developed by the manufacturer 

itself. It is guaranteed to have a longer 

operating life, which in itself is already a remarkable 

feature for a trolleybus, in addition 

to requiring simpler repair operations, having 

a higher useful load (thanks to its lighter 

body) adaptable spare parts, high-quality 

anti-corrosion features and 80% of recyclable 

aluminium. Moreover, in the event of a 

collision, the CO-BOLT system is designed 

to guarantee high shock absorption levels. 

The use of glass fibre-reinforced plastic allows 

for a weight reduction of about a ton 

The body 

is made of 

aluminium and 

built based on 

the CO-BOLT 

technology 

developed 

by Hess. It is 

guaranteed to 

have a longer 

operating life and 

require simpler 

repair operations. 

as compared to previous trolleybus models. 

The 18 m. version has 4 doors, with the front 

one being single-panelled. The fully electric 

infrared heating system includes a heat pump 

and a separate air conditioning system for 

passengers. The bus driver cabin has its own 

air conditioning system. According to Hess, 

the Swisstrolley can cover more than 50% of 

its route off-wire, and up to 30 km in a row 

without being connected to the overhead 

line. Definitely some remarkable achievements 

that will have, though, to be checked 

again after several charge/discharge cycles. 

The drive system is particularly powerful, 

with a distributed architecture featuring 

two motors by TSA. By distributing power 

between two axles, this dual-motor solution 

causes less strain on the driveline, thus reducing 

the wear and tear of the driveline itself 

and of tires. 

S.A. 

IVECO CREALIS IMC 

THE AWARDED ONE 

Iveco has delivered the first battery-powered 

Crealis to Limoges. Evolution of the Neo, 

this new generation trolleybus is powered by 

Skoda drivetrain and has won the SBY 2019 

Its design makes the Iveco Crealis 

one of the most aesthetically 

pleasing trolleybuses. The first 

two new-generation IMC (In Motion 

Charging) trolleybuses have been 

delivered to Limoges, in France, with 

another 4 units as an option. They are 

declared by the manufacturer to have a 

15 km off-wire capability. 

Skoda Electric, Iveco’s electric drive 

partner in the Limoges trolleybus supply, 

provides for a range of traction 

motors with different power ratings. 

A modular design 

Thanks to its modular design, each single 

component of the electrical system 

can be accurately customized to fit 

individual trolleybuses and disparate 

customer’s needs. A special diagnostic 

system allows for the constant monitoring 

of electrical equipment in operation. 

The Crealis features the same light 

units as the Urbanway buses. 

Particularly distinctive features of the 

trolleybus are, instead, a fully lowered 

The vehicle won 

the Sustainable 

Bus Award 2019 

in the “Urban” 

category. The 

reason: “IMC 

technology can 

secure the future 

of trolleybuses as 

well as optimize 

the unavoidable 

transition towards 

e-mobility”. 

floor, four doors, three axles, the last 

of which is the drive axle in the “Bologna” 

version. The Crealis’ battery 

pack is 2 to 10 times lighter than that 

of battery-operated buses. A software 

provides for optimized performance, 

avoiding peaks in energy demand. 

The new generation Crealis won the 

Sustainable Bus Award 2019 in the “Urban” 

category. Here’s the reason why: 

“The In-Motion-Charging technology 

can secure the future of trolleybuses 

as well as optimize the by now unavoidable 

and necessary transition towards 

e-mobility. Its main advantages lie in 

weight optimization and reduced size 

batteries, which has benefits for three 

major aspects at the top of the industry’s 

priorities-: cost, duration and safety”. 

S.A. 

48 

49

COMPARISON 

SOLARIS TROLLINO 18 

AFTER FACELIFT... 

The new version of the Solaris Trollino 

features a steel body and a thinner structure. 

Weight has been reduces by 500 kg and 

batteries allow a 15 km off-wire range 

After the Urbino bus range’s facelift 

of 2014, the restyled looks were 

also extended to trolleybus models 

in 2017. They made their official 

debut back in 2018, at the Innotrans trade 

fair. Solaris trolleybuses have been available 

on the market since 2001. 

The new version still features a steel body. 

The structure, now thinner, is more resistant 

to corrosion. The new range sports a set of 

goodies such as newly shaped, differently 

positioned components alongside a new building 

technique that ensures better protection 

of floors, including against weather agents. 

Thinner glass panels and new insulating materials 

made it possible to reduce its weight 

by over 500 kg as compared to its previous 

generation. Led lighting and lamps help save 

energy. The floor is lowered and the equally 

spaced plug doors can be either sliding (the 

front one always is) or swinging (three out of 

four doors). The maximum ground clearance 

for all four doors is 320 mm. Its standard 

configuration features a total passenger capacity 

of 135, 52 seated. The electric 

motor is by TSA (same as for Hess and Van 

Hool). On the second and third axles are two 

Batteries are 

subdivided into 

3 modules, and 

capable to store 

up to a total of 

45 kWh. Their 

chemistry? LTO, 

same as that 

of High Power 

batteries fitted 

onto the electric 

version of the 

Urbino. 

permanent magnet electric motors capable of 

delivering 320 kW. A single motor configuration 

is among the options. 

45 kWh batteries on board 

Batteries are subdivided into 3 modules, 

and capable to store up to a total of 45 kWh. 

Their chemistry? LTO, same as that of High 

Power batteries fitted onto the electric version 

of the Urbino. LTO’s strength lies in its 

the ability to absorb large amounts of energy 

quickly, which, in bus applications, makes 

it suitable for systems requiring fast recharging 

at terminus stations. Solaris states that 

the off-wire capability of its Trollino is 15 

km.Optional equipment includes an interior 

video-surveillance system, a camera to 

check on the position of poles, and a feature 

enabling overnight depot charging of the 

batteries. 

S.A. 

VAN HOOL EXQUI.CITY 18 

LIKE ON RAILS 

The result of a simple idea: combining the 

flexibility of a bus with the efficiency and 

passenger capacity of a tram. The Exquicity 

marks its distance from the AG 300T 

33 Exquicity trolleybuses by Van 

Hool were delivered to the Swiss 

city of Geneva as a result of the 

cooperation between the bus manufacturer 

and TPG, the local public transport 

operator. The Exquicity series is rooted in a 

simple idea: combining the flexibility of a bus 

with the efficiency and passenger capacity of 

a rail vehicle, such as trams. And one may 

easily notice that trams are right what this 

trolleybus’ front-face gets its inspiration from. 

A Multi Propulsion Platform 

Its core concept is the Multi Propulsion Platform, 

designed to fit in with a cutting-edge 

technology such as In Motion Charging. 

The Exquicity surely stands out for its uncommon, 

sleek design which makes it pretty 

different from its predecessor, the AG 300 T. 

It features a closed driving cab with a clear 

plexiglass partition that completely separates 

the driver from the passenger compartment 

which, like on other models, is monitored 

through video surveillance. The driver’s seat 

is slightly raised and placed almost centrally, 

which offers great visibility. The driver’s 

cab is fitted with monitors to check doors and 

Interestingly, 

driver’s seat is 

slightly raised 

and placed 

almost centrally, 

which offers 

great visibility. 

The driver’s cab 

is fitted with 

monitors to 

check doors and 

poles through 

video cameras. 

poles through video cameras. Fairing is also 

available for the second and third axles, like 

on the model delivered to Parma, Italy. 

The layout of its four equally spaced, wide 

doors is fairly interesting in that the front 

door is slightly set back from the driving cab, 

so as to avoid the creation of a narrow corridor 

thus facilitating passenger movement 

onboard. The wheelchair space is found right 

before the front door. The driving cab has 

no door of its own, and the driver must use 

the front door of the passenger compartment 

to get off the vehicle. Double panel entrance 

and exit doors ensure quick boarding. Of 

course, the module for kneeling at bus stops 

is also available. Interiors can be arranged in 

a variety of configurations, all LED-lit and 

fully air conditioned with separate systems 

for the driving cab and passenger compartment. 

S.A. 

50 

51

PORTFOLIO 

ALL THE ELECTRIC BUS MODELS ON THE EUROPEAN MARKETS. 

BATTERY-ELECTRIC / HYBRID / FUEL CELL / IMC TROLLEYBUSES 

ADL 

BOLLORÉ 

Neocity EV 



Motor / kW TM4 Sumo MD / 235 

Battery type 

BMZ / NMC 

Battery capacity kWh 174 - 219 

Charging technology plug-in 

BYD 

Enviro400 (mild hybrid) 

Length mm 10,500 / 10,900 


Electric motor / output kW ADL/14 

Battery type 

supercap 

Battery capacity max kWh 1 

Diesel engine CumminsB6.7 

kW 187 

Enviro400H (full hybrid) 

Length mm 10,500 / 10,900 


Electric motor / output kW BAE/195 

Battery type 

ultracap 



kW 157 

Blueblus 6 



Motor type / kW Central / 140 

Battery Blue Solutions / LMP 



Midibus 8.7 


Passenger seats n. 22 

Motor / output kW BYD / 90x2 

Battery type 

BYD / LFP 

Battery capacity max kWh - 


C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

Blueblus 12 


Passenger capacity n. 109 

Enviro400HR 

(plug-in hybrid) 

Length mm 10,500 / 10,900 


Electric motor / output kW BAE/195 

Battery type 

NMC 



kW 157 

Motor type / kW Central / 160 

Battery type Blue Solutions / LMP 



BMC 

12-18 eBus 

Length mm 12,200 / 18,250 

Passenger seats n. - 


Battery type 

BYD / LFP 



52

PORTFOLIO 



C9 (coach) 


Passenger seats n. - 


Battery type 

BYD / LFP 

Average range km 90 


BYD ADL 

Enviro200EV 

Length m 9.6 / 10.2 / 10.9 / 11.6 



Battery type 

BYD / LFP 



e.City Gold 10/12 

Length mm 10,700 / 12,000 

Passenger capacity n. 64 / 87 

Motor / output kW Siemens / 180 

Battery type 

NMC / LTO 


Charging technology plug-in/pant. 

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 - 12,9m LE 



Motor / kW ZF / 250 

Battery type 

LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 363/423/525 


Ebusco 2.2 - 13.5 m LE 




Battery type 

LFP 



Ebusco 2.2 - 18m LF 




Battery type 

LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 363/525 


THE GREEN WAY BY MENARINI 

Mark E 



Motor / kW - 

Battery type 

LMP 


Estimate range km 300 

Enviro400EV 




Battery type 

BYD / LFP 



CAETANOBUS 

EBUSCO 

Ebusco 3.0 


Passenger n. 95 

Motor / kW Ebusco / 250 

Battery type 

LFP 



HESS 

Ebusco 2.2 - 12m LE/LF 




Battery type 

LFP 



industriaitalianaautobus.com 

54

PORTFOLIO 



lighTram 19/25 DC 

Length mm 18,750 / 24,750 


Motor / kW TSA / - 

Battery type - 


Charging technology pantograph 

HIGER 

IVECO BUS 

HEULIEZ 

Steed 



Motor / kW - 

Battery type 

CATL / LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 174 / 210 


E-WAY Full Electric 9.5 



Motor / kW BAE Systems /160 

Battery type 

NMC 



GX 137C Elec 



Motor / kW BAE Systems / 160 

Battery type Forsee Power NMC 



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 

Charging technology plug-in / pant. 

IAA Transportation 

Hanover, Hall 22, 

Stand C18 

GX 137L Elec 




Battery type Forsee Power NMC 



GX 337 Elec 




Battery Forsee Power LTO / NMC 

Battery capacity max kWh 88 / 350 


Azure 



Motor / kW Prestolite MD130D / - 

Battery type 

CATL / LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 355 


IIA 

E-WAY Full Electric 18 



Motor type / kW Synchr. / 190 

Battery type 

LTO 



CO2 

Focus on the future: 

natural refrigerants 

°Clever solved: compressors for 

CO 2 refrigerant – economical, sustainable, 

future-proof. We call this: 

The °Clever Art of Cooling and Heating. 

More info at bock.de 

GX 437 Elec 




Battery Forsee Power LTO/NMC 



Citymood 12e 



Motor / kW Siemens 1DB2016 / 230 

Battery type Akasol / NMC 

Battery capacity max. kWh 330 


Crealis In-Motion-Charging 



Motor / kW - / 250 

Battery type 

LMP 


Charging technology IMC 

BOCK 

colour 

the 

world 

of tomorrow 

56

PORTFOLIO 



ISUZU 

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 

Novociti Volt 



Motor / kW TM4 Sumo MD / 255 

Battery type 

CATL / LFP 



KARSAN 

e-ATA 12 



Motor / kW ZF AxTrax / 250 

Battery type 

LFP 



KING LONG 

CHARGE, 

OPERATE 

& MAINTAIN 

YOUR 

BUS FLEET 

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 


Motor / kW Irizar / 235 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



e-Jest 



Motor / kW BMW / 125 

Battery type BMW / Lithium-ion 



Pev 10/12 

Length mm 10,500/11,980 

Passenger n. -/- 

Motor / kW -/- 

Battery type 

LFP 



58 

ie tram 12/18 

Length mm 12,165 / 18,730 


Motor / kW Irizar / 190-235 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



e-Atak 



Motor / kW TM4 / 230 

Battery type BMW / Lithium-ion 



E10/12 Hybrid 

Length mm 10,500/12,200 

Passenger capacity n. 66/83 

Electric motor Green Control System 



Diesel engine/kW Cummins / 290 

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

It’s time to drive smarter and greener. 

It’s time to add Tenix. 

software that makes buses smart 

www.tenix.eu 

Saga Tenix AS 

Lønningsveien 47, 5258 Blomsterdalen, Norway

PORTFOLIO 



MAN 

Lion’s City E 12/18 

Length mm 12,185 / 18,060 


Motor / kW Traton / 270 - 540 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



Lion’s City 12*/18* hybrid 

Length mm 12,185/18,060 


Electric motor / kW MAN/12 



Diesel engine/kW MAN D15/243-265 

*available with CNG engine 

MERCEDES 

*with max battery capacity 

**optionally available with Blue Solutions 

LMP batteries (max 441 kWh) 

Citaro Hybrid 12/18 

Length mm 12,185 / 18,060 

Passenger n. 101 / 140 

Electric motor type - 



Diesel engine type/kW OM 936/300 

OTOKAR 

e-Kent C 



Motor / kW Voith / 410 

Battery type Webasto / NMC 

Battery capacity kWh 210 - 280 - 350 


RAMPINI 

E60/E80 

Length mm 6,110 / 7,790 


Motor / kW 

Siemens/122 

Battery type Rampini / - 



SAFRA 

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 

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 

60 

eCitaro 12/18 

Length mm 12,135 / 18,125 

Passenger capacity n. 80* / 136* 


Battery type Akasol / NMC** 


Charging technology plug-in

PORTFOLIO 



Charging 

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 

Fuel cell module power kW 70 

Battery 

High Power / 30 kWh 

Hydrogen capacity kg 5 x 37,5 

forward 

to accelerate the world’s 

transition to eMobility. 

Come visit BorgWarner at 

IAA Transportation 

Hall 12, Booth C63 

Citywide Hybrid 

Length mm 12,005 / 14,900 


Electric motor output kW 150 

Diesel eng./hp Scania DC09/280-320 


Battery capacity kWh - 

SKODA 

Urbino electric 15 LE* 


Passenger seats max n. 65 

Motor Central asynchronous / 300 

Battery type 

LTO / NMC 



*can be homologated also in Class II 

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 

Leading the way to an 

electrified future. 

Discover more at 

borgwarner.com/technologies 

Skoda E’ City 

Length mm 12,095 


Motor / kW - / 160 




SOLARIS 

Urbino electric 18/24 

Length mm 18,000 / 24,700 


Motor 

ZF AxTrax / TSA 

Battery type 

LTO / NMC 



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 

62 

Urbino 12 hydrogen 


Passenger seats max n. 37 


Fuel cell module 

Ballard

PORTFOLIO 



Avenue Electron 

Length mm 12,095 


Motor / kW TM4 Sumo / 250 

Battery type 

NMC 



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 1/kW Siemens PEM2016/ 160 

Motor type 2/kW Siemens PEM2022/ 210 

Fuel cell Ballard FC Velocity HD 100 


Hydrogen capacity l/kg 1,600 / 38.5 

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 

Have you heard about 

the new normal? 

64 

MD9 electriCITY 



Motor / kW 

TM4/250 

Battery type 

NMC 



VAN HOOL 

A330 Fuel Cell 6W 





Fuel cell Ballard FC Velocity HD 85 


Hydrogen capacity l/kg 1,600/ 38.5 

Fuel Cell 8W 



A309 diesel-hybrid 



Electric motor 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 

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 

Getting curious? 

Experience our zero emission QUANTRON 

CIZARIS 12 EV city bus, our new hydrogen 

powered QUANTRON EU heavy Truck & the 

Quantron-as-a-Service Ecosystem. 

For more information, visit: www.quantron.net 

#quantronag #qmobility #quantroninside 

• Fully electric 12 m city bus 

• Zero emissions & 

pleasantly quiet 

• Top range: 370 km 

(according to E-SORT 2) 

• Balanced priceperformance 

ratio 

20. - 25.09.2022 

Hall H21, Stand B70 

Empower the Future

PORTFOLIO 



Citea SLF-120 Electric 



Motor/kW Siemens 1DB2016/160 


Battery capacity standard kWh 216 


VOLVO 

7900 Electric Hybrid 



Electric motor / kW Volvo / 200 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 


Charging technology Oppcharge 

Diesel engine/hp Volvo D5/240 

International Bus and Coach Trade Fair 

Citea SLE-120/129 Electric 

Length mm 12,000 / 12,900 






7900 Electric 



Motor / kW Volvo / 200 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



C 

M 

Citea LLE-99/115 Electric 

Length mm 9,950 / 11,500 






7900 Electric Articulated 

7900 Hybrid 

Length mm 10,600/12,000 



Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

Length mm 18,000/ 18,700 


Motor / kW Volvo / 2 x 200 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 

Battery capacity kWh 250/300 

A new mobility 

concept. 

Charging technology 

plug-in/pant. 

66 

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 




7900 Hybrid Articulated 

Length mm 18,000 / 18,700 



Battery type 

Lithium-ion 


Charging Oppcharge / CCS 


Oct 

18-21 2022 

Recinto Ferial 

ifema.es

PORTFOLIO 

YUTONG 

E12 



Motor/kW Yutong YTM280-CV9-H/350 


CATL 



Yutong ICe12 (coach) 



Motor/kW Yutong TZ368XSYTB38/350 

Battery type 

CATL 



WRIGHTBUS 

68 

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 



Charging technology plug-in. 

GB Kite Hydroliner FCEV 



Motor / kW 

Voith VEDS 

Fuel cell module Ballard FC Move 

Fuel cell module power kW 70 - 100 



Hydrogen capacity kg 35 - 50 

GB Kite Electroliner BEV 



Motor / kW 

Voith VEDS 



Charging technology plug-in. 

SUPPLEMENT 

Mobility, smart city 

Culture, technology and market of 

low and zero emission buses 

Established 1991 

Editor in chief 

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SUSTAINABLE BUS 2022-09

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