2023-05 SUSTAINABLE BUS

Sustainable 

US 

VADO E TORNO EDIZIONI 

www.vadoetorno.com - ISSN 0042 

Poste Italiane s.p.a. 

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

(conv. in L. 27/02/2004 n° 46) 

art. 1, comma 1, LO/MI 

AUTOBUS SUPPLEMENT 

MAY 2023 

FILLING THE 

GAP 

OUTLOOKS 

CO2 standards 

for buses: what 

should we expect? 

INTERVIEW 

Janette Bell, 

First Bus: skills, 

technologies, market 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT 

MCV, a battery- 

electric bus 

for Germany

The future. Today. 

Sustainable 

BUS 

CONTENTS 

4 

5 

SUSTAINABLE-BUS.COM MAY 2023 

POST-IT 

Iveco Bus brings back 

bus production in Italy 

Volvo - MCV deal for e-bus 

manufacturing in Europe 

26 

4 

6 

8 

TECHNO 

ZF to launch new generation AxTrax. 

Series production from late 2024 

Upgrade of e-buses. 

A project by Equipmake in York 

10 

INTERVIEW 

Janette Bell on First Bus’ 

strategies for today’s challenges 

Our new A range. 

12 - 24 m 

100% zero-emission 

14 

18 

22 

26 

OUTLOOKS 

UK: decarbonization is a good thing, 

but increasing passengers come first 

A picture of EU e-bus market 2022. 

Yutong leading the registrations’ rank 

Main EU bus&coach markets from 

2019 to 2022. An analysis 

EU should allow only ZE bus sales from 

2027, Transport&Environment says 

battery-electric 

hydrogen 

10 

30 

EXPO 

VDV-powered ElekBu: the German 

bet on zero emission buses 

trolley 

LEADING THE WAY. 

36 

42 

46 


MAN Lion’s City 10E. 

Latest add in the Lion’s e-bus family 

MCV C127 EV. 

Made in Egypt, headed to Germany 

Setra MultiClass 500 LE. 

EvoBus’ new strategies in Class II 

Bernard Van Hoolstraat 58 • 2500 Lier (Koningshooikt) • BELGIUM +32 3 420 20 20 info@vanhool.com vanhool.com 

vanhooloffi cial 

vanhooloffi cial 

vanhool 

42 

50 

PORTFOLIO 

All the electric buses 

on the European market 

3

POST-IT 

POST-IT 

IVECO BUS OPENED A PLANT IN FOGGIA 

Made in Italy 

GOAL: FINALIZING 1,000 BUSES PER YEAR 

In mid-April Iveco Bus has opened 

a new plant in Foggia, South 

Italy, for the final assembly of electric 

and low-emission buses. The 

first part of the production process 

will be carried out in other Iveco 

plants in France, the Czech Republic, 

and Turkey. The Foggia plant 

will add finishing components, including 

seats and surveillance systems, 

and rely on alternative propulsion 

from Torino and hydrogen 

fuel cells. The plant has been largely 

financed with Next Generation EU 

funds and will complete and supply 

low and zero-emission buses to the 

Italian market. The plant covers an 

area of around 30,000 square meters 

and is powered by more than 1,000 

photovoltaic panels, with an annual 

production of 640 MWh. It has 4.0 

industrial solutions, intelligent LED 

lighting systems, and water-saving 

features. The plant is expected to assemble 

1,000 buses annually, with a 

potential capacity of over 4,000, as stated by Iveco Group representatives. 

The company aims to reduce its environmental impact and promote a circular 

economy by implementing measures such as recycling waste and using 

renewable energy sources. 

Among the “features” of the Foggia plant we find a team of engineers dedicated 

to customizing the product, a virtual reality room for technical training 

and augmented reality tools for quality control. There are three customization 

stations, one finishing and quality control station, one electrification line, one 

battery warehouse, and one customer center with a delivery area. 

The plant covers an area of around 

30,000 square meters and is powered 

by more than 1,000 photovoltaic 

panels. It is expected to assemble 

1,000 buses annually, with a potential 

capacity of over 4,000, as stated by 

Iveco Group representatives. 

MCV WILL BUILD VOLVO E-BUSES 

In mid-March Volvo Buses announced the forthcoming 

closure of its Wroclaw factory in Poland and its intention 

to concentrate its European operations solely on 

chassis production, leaving the task of building bodies to 

other companies. The announcement was made in a press 

release of disruptive frankness (we will only quote the 

opening, credited to president Anna Westerberg: “Our 

business in Europe has been loss-making for years”). 

Well, in late April the group announced that it has signed 

a letter of intent with the well-known Egyptian manufacturer 

MCV (an acronym for Manufacturing Commercial 

Vehicles), which will be entrusted with the production 

under license of bodies for Volvo electric buses headed 

to the European markets. Series production is scheduled 

to start in the summer of 2024 and delivery of the 

first e-buses is planned for early 2025. For the intercity 

segment, it is stated, “Volvo Buses and MCV will work 

together to develop an electric offer”. Chassis production 

will remain at the Volvo Buses plants in Boras and 

Uddevalla, Sweden. MCV already produces Mercedes- 

Benz-based bodies. Production volume? Something like 

10,000 buses per year. Sixty per cent of which is for 

export in some sixty countries. It is already one of the 

main partners of Volvo Buses. It has delivered in the 

UK, to the Metroline fleet in London, vehicles based on 

the BZL electric chassis, launched by the Swedish group 

in September 2021 and destined, it was then stated, for 

global markets outside Europe (only today it is possible 

to read, with hindsight, the first step in the reorganisation 

of the business...). Concerning coaches, Volvo Buses has 

signed a deal with Spanish Sunsundegui. 

COMMITTED TO ZERO EMISSION 

2035 E-MOBILITY TAIWAN 

The exhibition 2035 E-Mobility Taiwan joined forces 

with Taipei AMPA and AutoTronics Taipei to showcase 

the Taiwanese automotive 

industry 

ecosystem to the 

world of electric 

mobility. We have 

been joining the 

Tapei-based expo 

in mid-April. This 

marks the first 

time that the three 

exhibitions have 

been held concurrently 

and in the 

same location, attracting 

830 exhibitors from both domestic and foreign 

markets with a total of 2,200 booths. The ‘2035’ in the 

trade show’s name signifies that the future of transportation 

is anticipated to be dominated by electric and autonomous 

vehicles by 2035. Taiwan’s automotive electronics 

industry has experienced rapid growth over the 

years, thanks to the country’s strong foundation in semiconductor, 

ICT, and advanced manufacturing. Taiwanese 

companies have become major suppliers of parts and 

components to some of the world’s top EV makers, including 

Tesla. Master Bus has showcased their first fully 

electric intercity bus. The 12-metre, 45-seater vehicle is 

equipped with LTO (Lithium-Titanete Oxide) batteries, 

chosen for their stability and long lifespan. Among other 

key exhibitors we found Gus Technology, battery cell producer 

with focus on LTO chemicals, the traction components 

provider Shihlin Electric & Engineering, the power 

components giant Delta Electronics and the smart technology 

company Advantech. Last but not least, Taiwan 

Telematics Industry Association. 

Hydrogen bus 

Full maintenance 

Hydrogen retrofit 

& training 

WWW.SAFRA.FR 

Fleet & TCO 

management 

4

TECHNO 

ZF UNVEILED 2ND GENERATION E-AXLE AXTRAX 2 

AxTrax 2 The Revenge 

SERIES PRODUCTION TO BEGIN IN EUROPE IN LATE 2024 

At the Advanced Clean Transportation 

(ACT) Expo in early 

May, ZF premiered its new Ax- 

Trax 2 electric axle platform. 

Series production of the e-axle is 

planned to begin in Europe in late 

2024 and in the U.S. in 2025, ZF 

states. What is very interesting, it 

will be offered in two variants: 

with one e-drive and with two integrated 

e-drives (AxTrax 2 dual), 

being the latter a real news in ZF 

offer (and a rarity in the e-bus segment, 

with just Volvo Buses so far 

mounting on the 7900 Electric a 

2-speed transmission). 

It is worth mentioning that the Ax- 

Trax has its roots in 2015, when it 

was launched for the first time as 

AVE130. It has so far established 

itself as one of the leading solution 

for e-buses (adopted by Solaris, 

Daimler Buses, VDL, Ebusco 

and many others…). 

The integrated and modular e- 

powertrain system is addressed to light, medium and heavy-duty commercial 

vehicles. 

The group points out that AxTrax 2 “features a compact design to help 

maximize the available space for batteries and enhance manufacturer’s 

design flexibility for future vehicle concepts. AxTrax 2 can be fully 

synchronized with key vehicle functions, including braking, ADAS and 

automated driving systems, to help enhance vehicle safety and efficiency. 

It also enables advanced digital and telematics systems via CAN bus to 

communicate and share e-axle system information”. 

The ZF AxTrax has its roots in 2015, 

when it was launched for the first 

time as AVE130. It has so far established 

itself as one of the leading 

solution for e-buses (adopted by Solaris, 

Daimler Buses, VDL, Ebusco 

and many others…). 

ACCELERA! 

Launched in March 2023, Accelera is the new brand 

of Cummins New Power business unit. It is led by 

Amy Davis, who 

has been at the 

helm of the New 

Power business 

unit since 2020: 

she will serve as 

President of Accelera. 

Together with 

unveiling the 

new brand identity, 

Cummins 

has announced 

that Accelera 

and Blue Bird have entered a deal to power a new 

fleet of 1,000 electric school buses across the United 

States over the next 12-18 months. “Production 

of the electric school buses will be significantly accelerated, 

more than doubling the zero-emissions 

school buses that the pair have put into operation 

since the start of production. With 1,000 new electric 

school buses on the road, 10,600 metric tons 

of harmful carbon emissions will be prevented annually”, 

Accelera says. 

Duties and commitments of Accelera by Cummins 

include powering 52 fuel cell city buses in Lingang, 

Shanghai as well as the world’s first fleets of hydrogen 

fuel cell passenger trains in Germany. Recently 

acquired Meritor and Siemens Commercial 

Vehicle business will be “embedded” in Accelera. 

Cummins states it has invested more than $1.5 

billion million in research and technology, capital 

and acquisitions to build Accelera’s leadership and 

technological capabilities. 

6

TECHNO 

EARLY GEN E-BUSES GET IMPROVEMENTS 

After complete upgrade of the vehicle’s electric 

power system, the first Optare Versa is back on service 

around the city of York. It belong to an early generation 

electric bus: a batch of 12 vehicles is to be converted in 

a contract awarded by operator First Bus to Equipmake. 

The bus now features a pioneering electric drivetrain 

and is expected to have a range of 150 miles in all UK 

weather conditions, thanks to a larger battery and Equipmake’s 

patented HVAC system. 

The Optare Versa trial lasted for 4 weeks. This will enable 

engineering teams at First York and Equipmake to 

evaluate its performance and make any final adjustments. 

A total of 12 converted vehicles will be delivered over 

the coming months, according to the roadmap agreed 

by the partners. 

Equipmake has developed dedicated skills on repowering 

of buses, most recently completing an all-electric repower 

of the New Routemaster (showcased at Euro Bus 

Expo 2022 in November 2022), as well as partnering 

with First Bus to upgrade its fleet improving the capabilities 

of some early generation e-buses. The company 

is also working on coach repowering: they have indeed 

been showcasing a repowered Van Hool at ITT Hub. 

Tom Bridge, Operations Director of First Bus in North 

& West Yorkshire, said: “It’s great to see the bus back 

in service and we’re confident customers will enjoy the 

experience of an ultra-smooth, quiet ride and the benefit 

of zero-emission travel. This retrofit technology is 

another important step in our transition to achieving a 

fully electric fleet in York, continuing to help improve 

air quality in the city and supporting the goal of First 

Bus nationally to have a zero-emission fleet by 2035”. 

ALL ABOUT BUS, COACH AND PEOPLE 

On-demand 

transport 

that actually 

works. 

EUROPE BRUSSELS 

7-12 OCT 2023 

WWW.BUSWORLDEUROPE.ORG 

8 

THE OTHER 

BUSWORLD 

EXHIBITIONS 

CENTRAL ASIA ASTANA | 18-20 MAY 2023 

SOUTHEAST ASIA JAKARTA | 15-17 MAY 2024 

TÜRKIYE ISTANBUL | 29-31 MAY 2024

INTERVIEW 

JANETTE BELL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, FIRST BUS 

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED 

First Bus, one of the five main operators in the UK, is expected to have 

over 600 zero-emission buses in operation by early 2024. How is the 

company organizing itself to keep pace with this change? What does the 

future hold for autonomous driving? Business case? 

First Bus is one of the 

top five bus companies 

in the United Kingdom, 

with operations from 

Aberdeen in the very north of 

Scotland down to Cornwall, 

thanks to about 4,500 buses and 

14,000 employees. We interviewed 

the managing director 

Janette Bell. 

First Bus recently reported 

that at the conclusion of the 

ZEBRA projects, the company 

is expected to have over 

600 zero-emission buses in its 

fleet. Could you sum up the 

deliveries to date, how many 

vehicles you do have on order 

today and which timeline you 

expect for further orders and 

deliveries? 

«We have a very clear statement 

that we wish to fully decarbonize 

our fleet by 2035, and we’ve 

been making progress towards 

that goal. As of today, we actually 

have 229 zero-emission 

vehicles in operation, with the 

biggest area of operation being 

our Caledonia depot in Glasgow. 

We have 412 buses currently 

on order, and those are 

being delivered as we speak. We 

expect to take deliveries every 

month now through until March 

next year, and we will have a 

total of 622 zero-emission vehicles 

by then». 

Many believe that innovative 

financing schemes are necessary 

to make the large-scale 

deployment of e-buses from an 

economic perspective. What is 

your opinion on this? Do you 

think the financing schemes 

currently in place in the UK 

are enough to kickstart the 

transition of public transport 

fleets? 

«There are significant differences 

between the upfront costs of 

electric and diesel vehicles and 

their infrastructure. However, 

the government’s funding and 

support for partnerships with 

local authorities have enabled 

us to obtain the initial funding 

for these vehicles and infrastructure. 

I believe we are at 

the forefront of zero-emission 

vehicles, and there are various 

funding options available for 

companies to explore. The 

strength of a company’s balance 

sheet may determine which 

financing option they choose. 

Still, I expect more innovation 

in vehicles, infrastructure, and 

financing options, and I believe 

many are exploring these options 

now». 

The pandemic has changed 

mobility patterns globally. 

From First Bus’s perspective, 

have the changes generated 

by Covid-19 led to long-term 

changes in passengers’ behavior? 

How is your group addressing 

these changes? 

«Absolutely. Covid-19 has 

accelerated trends that were 

already prevalent in the United 

Kingdom. Digital payments 

have been accelerated, and we 

have invested heavily in using 

the data from geolocation and 

other sources to improve the 

performance and punctuality 

of our services. We have also 

adjusted our fares and product 

structures to suit the changing 

habits of our customers, such as 

introducing three-day tickets in 

addition to weekly ones. We are 

looking at where we are relative 

to what people are doing now 

and what they may be doing in 

the future, rather than comparing 

our business to 2019. It is 

about adaptation, adjusting our 

services to what is happening 

now and in the future». 

Can you tell us about your involvement 

in demand responsive 

transport in the UK? 

«We’ve been involved in a few 

projects. It’s a potentially useful 

solution which could run 

alongside core services, providing 

support and potentially 

feeding into the main network. 

I think it’s an area that probably 

could be further developed; however, 

I think one of the challenges 

that many operators face is 

making those services economically 

sustainable». 

«We consider engineering to be a key competence, and we do not 

outsource our maintenance activities. Instead, we focus on upskilling 

and reskilling our engineers to adapt to the changes brought by 

electrification. While we recognize a change in the competencies 

required, we believe we can handle them internally» 

«As of today, we have 229 zero-emission vehicles in operation, 

with the biggest area of operation being our Caledonia depot in 

Glasgow. We have 412 buses currently on order, and those are being 

delivered. We expect to take deliveries every month now through until 

March 2024. We’ll have a total of 622 zero-emission buses by then» 

One of the most debated topic 

is TCO: which is the comparison 

between e-buses and diesel 

buses today, according to the 

data you have collected so far? 

«One of the challenges we face 

is that we do not have a zeroemission 

vehicle that has gone 

through an entire cycle of ownership, 

including battery replacements. 

Therefore, there are 

many theoretical pieces to consider. 

As we move forward, TCO 

for e-buses and diesel buses will 

mature and become more clear 

over time, and everyone in the 

industry will learn from these 

experiences». 

Dealing with e-buses and 

energy transition implies 

changes in the structure of 

public transport companies. 

How is First Bus changing, 

in terms of organization 

and skills, to get ready for 

the challenge? 

«To prepare for this challenge, 

we’ve appointed a sustainability 

executive to oversee our 

decarbonization efforts. We’re 

also rethinking our operational 

processes, from upskilling 

our workforce to changing the 

way we handle buses in depots. 

This transformation touches 

every aspect of our business, so 

we’re building a blueprint model 

to guide us as we continue 

to deploy more EVs and learn 

from our experiences. Additionally, 

we’ve established an internal 

center of excellence and 

are providing training for our 

drivers, engineers, and support 

teams. These efforts are part 

of our comprehensive plan to 

transform our entire business». 

With electrification, what is 

happening is that maintenance 

activities are quite often 

outsourced to manufacturers 

and service providers within 

full service contracts… 

«No, that’s not the case at First 

Bus. We consider engineering to 

be a key competence, and we do 

not outsource our maintenance 

staff. Instead, we focus on 

upskilling and reskilling our engineers 

to adapt to the changes 

brought by electrification. While 

we recognize a change in the 

competencies required, we believe 

we can handle them internally 

while maintaining strong 

relationships with our suppliers 

and manufacturers». 

With the transition to e-buses, 

public transport companies 

are often more looking for 

partners than just for suppliers. 

What requests do you 

feel to make at industry players 

at this stage? 

10 

11

INTERVIEW 

«The market in the UK is made 

up of five big operators and 

many small and medium-sized 

enterprises. As we come through 

Covid, we have seen some 

small parts of consolidation, 

and we’ve also seen some of 

our large competitors go into 

new ownership structures. How 

we make sure being able to decarbonize 

our fleet is one thing, 

but obviously, what we’re wanting 

to do is to play a larger 

role in the communities that 

we operate in. Certainly, we 

are working with third parties, 

some of those larger companies, 

but also some small SMEs 

to make sure that we can share 

infrastructure and partner with 

businesses in the community». 

Charging 

forward 

to accelerate the world’s 

transition to eMobility 

We make power 

last longer. 

Our battery technology 

makes cleaner power 

safe and scalable. 

«We’ve always prided ourselves 

at First Bus in how we partner 

with our suppliers. We are 

now working with more technology 

and digital suppliers in the 

zero emissions space and continuing 

to foster a spirit of innovation 

through collaboration. 

Our aim is to learn together 

with our suppliers and local 

authorities, which is essential 

as we embark on this journey 

towards sustainability». 

What about the delivery time 

of vehicles? It’s another hot 

topic nowadays… 

«At the moment, things are more 

drawn out. It’s very clear that 

with the disruption to the supply 

chain that has resulted from Covid 

and geopolitical issues, we 

have seen supply chains extend 

out. What is important is that 

we work very closely with our 

manufacturers to ensure that 

there’s maximum efficiency on 

manufacturing lines and that 

we’re all as efficient in that supply 

chain as possible». 

What do you think of Brexit 

and its consequences on the 

evolution of the zero-emission 

bus market? 

«It would be very difficult to 

isolate any impact of Brexit. 

Between Brexit, pandemic, and 

the geopolitical situation, there 

are multiple issues that have disrupted 

the supply chain». 

The emergence of macro trends 

such as digitalization and 

energy transition are already, 

according to many, bringing 

towards a concentration of 

public transport services in 

the hands of larger companies. 

And Covid put much pressure 

on PTOs balance sheets. Do 

you think these circumstances 

will end up bringing a push 

towards large companies getting 

a larger share of the market? 

To what extent? 

«One of the challenges we face is that we don’t have a zero 

emission vehicle that has gone through an entire cycle of ownership, 

including battery replacements. Therefore, there are many theoretical 

pieces to consider. As we move forward, TCO for e-buses and 

diesel buses will mature and become more clear over time» 

Autonomous driving. What is 

First Bus doing to stay ahead 

in this area? 

«We’ve been involved in a 

multi-consortium in Oxford, 

which has delivered the UK’s 

first autonomous bus. This has 

been running around Milton 

Park Science and Technology 

Park since March. Our reason 

for piloting this project is to 

better understand the technology 

and gather feedbacks 

from safety drivers, stakeholders, 

and customers». 

We haven’t so far mentioned 

the topic of hydrogen. First 

Bus is also running a pilot on 

fuel cell technology. Can you 

tell us more about that? 

«We recognize that the potential 

range opportunities that 

hydrogen buses give you are 

particularly interesting for rural 

areas. However, the hydrogen 

infrastructure and vehicles 

themselves are currently more 

expensive. At First Bus, we 

want to make sure that we’re 

not just thinking ahead but also 

considering cost and sustainability. 

We’ve had hydrogen 

buses operating for over a year 

now, and they’ve been performing 

well». 

12

OUTLOOKS 

INCREASING BUS PATRONAGE IN THE UK 

PRECONDITIONS FOR TRANSITION 

The UK’s journey to establishing a 

zero-emission bus fleet is strongly 

dependent on bus passenger numbers. 

Ensuring bus services that are reliable 

long term is crucial to building a 

sustainable bus network 

In a recent Sustainable Bus article 

(February 2023 issue) looking 

at how the UK is funding its zero-emission 

bus transition, a conclusion 

was that to achieve it, increasing 

patronage is crucial. Confidence in long 

term passenger demand on bus travel is 

necessary to give the security in required 

ZEB (zero-emission bus) technology in- 

Reliable journey time 

The Confederation of Passenger Transvestment. 

Although passenger numbers 

are rising, patronage is yet to return to 

pre-covid levels. 

The UK government has stated the aim of 

increasing patronage, including its March 

2021 launched “Bus Back Better: The National 

Bus Strategy”, supporting England 

outside of London with ad hoc grants, as 

well as more established longer-term funding, 

while devolved regions manage their 

own support. Outside of London, the UK 

bus network is mainly privatised, with bus 

operators generating around 60 percent of 

their income from fare-paying passengers, 

with public funding subsidising the remainder, 

according to data from National 

Audit Office. As a result, services that are 

commercially unviable, or unable to be 

funded by local authorities, are at risk. 

No legal requirement 

The Campaign for Better Transport estimates 

that operator commercial services 

declined by 26 percent between 2012 and 

2020 – albeit most significantly in the pandemic’s 

first year – and services supported 

by local authorities declined by 52 percent 

in bus miles over the same period. “There 

Outside of London, the UK 

bus network is mainly privatised. 

Bus operators generate 

60 percent of their income 

from fare-paying passengers, 

with public funding subsidising 

the remainder. As a result, 

services that are commercially 

unviable, or unable to be funded 

by local authorities, are at 

risk. The Campaign for Better 

Transport estimates that operator 

commercial services declined 

by 26 percent between 

2012 and 2020 – albeit most 

significantly in the pandemic’s 

first year – and services 

supported by local authorities 

declined by 52 percent in bus 

miles over the same period. 

is no legal requirement to supply a bus 

service and no framework is provided to 

guarantee a bus service to those who need 

it. For patronage to grow, people need to 

feel confident that they can switch to using 

buses for most of their journeys, and that 

services will still be there in future. This 

is not the case in many areas,” says Claire 

Walters, chief executive, Bus Users UK, 

that champions the rights of passengers. 

If bus services aren’t sufficient, the current 

system can allow local authorities to take 

control, like developments in Manchester. 

Later this year, the city will become the 

first outside of London to have a regulated 

bus system. While the regulation debate 

has continued since privatisation in 1985, 

the existing framework can be successful 

in increasing patronage. 

“With close partnership, we can get to a 

non-adversarial culture between the private 

and public sectors which exists in 

places like Oxford and Brighton, where 

privatisation has worked relatively well. 

Franchising in certain areas can be appropriate, 

but many authorities are concluding 

that effective partnerships can be a preferred 

way forward,” says professor Graham 

Parkhurst, director, Centre for Transport 

and Society at University of the West 

of England, Bristol. 

But whichever approach, greater stability 

in financial support is necessary to enable 

reliable service provision long term. 

“There’s a marked contrast with rail, 

which has had relatively high levels of security 

and funding, despite buses carrying 

significantly more people,” says professor 

Peter White, expert on public transport 

systems, University of Westminster. “The 

bus industry has had repeated three-month 

budgetary extensions, meaning that management 

has had to prepare for sharp service 

cutbacks, then to discover that they 

can carry on running for another three 

months. That’s a highly unsatisfactory way 

of proceeding.” 

port (CPT) reports that for every 1 percent 

bus speeds decrease each year, this 

results in over 10 percent fall in passenger 

numbers over the course of a decade. The 

organisation says congestion is the number 

one challenge to a reliable bus service 

and is the main reason people do not take 

the bus, making journeys too slow with 

unpredictable timings. 

According to CPT, measures including 

priority at junctions and traffic lights, 

bus-only roads, bus-only lanes, and park 

and ride schemes, have helped increase 

patronage, in combination with other 

factors, by as much as 50 percent in 

Bristol and 24 percent in Milton Keynes. 

However, prioritisation at the expense of 

the car can still face resistance. Though 

Coventry plans to become the UK’s first 

all-electric bus city, a proposal to introduce 

bus gates on certain city centre 

streets, with private cars prohibited between 

10am and midnight, has just been 

rejected following fears of declining 

trade from local shops. 

Service reliability decreased by extended 

dwell time can also be a challenge. Outside 

of London, a single door for entry 

and exit, as well as diverse fares and payment 

methods, impact process speed. As 

well as improvements to reliability, service 

frequency is also important. 

“In the late ‘80s with high frequency minibuses, 

we were able to show that a minibus 

every 10 minutes, instead of a double 

decker every half hour, produced a large 

increase in ridership, purely as a frequency 

effect,” says Peter White. “With the 

driver recruitment challenge, this isn’t 

feasible at the moment, but with driverless 

buses, this might change, depending 

on the issues connected with automated 

vehicle technology.” 

Inter-urban and rural networks 

Connecting two or more towns or cities, 

inter-urban bus services provide a link 

with intermediate stops to serve villages 

en route, with these services able to provide 

connections currently missing from 

14 

15

OUTLOOKS 

the rail network. 

“Inter-urban bus services showed they can 

be successful in attracting more riders to 

buses on a purely commercial basis, and 

even those with some government finance 

achieve it at a relatively modest cost,” 

says Peter White. “In rural Wales, for example, 

the Traws Cymru network is very 

useful for filling gaps in the rail service, 

especially for north-south movement, and 

public sector support is modest compared 

with the cost of rural rail services.” 

Similarly, for rural areas, Graham 

Parkhurst argues in favour of a “hub and 

spoke” system, including frequent routes 

with bus priorities where necessary, fed 

by connectors including demand responsive 

links. If necessary, car parking can 

be used too, which would still minimise 

environmental impact and congestion. 

“Rural services are unlikely to be commercially 

profitable, but we have to accept 

that public transport is a good for the 

economy and society, and it needs financial 

support,” says Graham Parkhurst. 

“One important issue is whether you can 

integrate the public bus service with the 

school transport provision, because authorities 

have a statutory obligation to 

provide free school travel above certain 

distances, whereas they are not obliged 

to support buses,” says Peter White. “Inevitably, 

rural service frequencies will 

be lower, but integrating these functions 

could achieve the most efficient use of 

public money.” 

“Clearly, it’s difficult to provide services 

which are free from any form of subsidy 

in rural areas because the passenger numbers 

are quite low,” says Martin Dean, 

managing director, UK regional bus, Go- 

Ahead. “But where you’ve got a transport 

authority that’s willing to invest, I think 

you can have a successful network in a rural 

area. Cornwall is a really good example. 

I would say the level of bus provision 

there is probably the best it’s been for a 

long time and we’re happy to contribute 

to that.” 

Environmental sustainability 

To meet net zero climate targets, buses 

can more quickly increase modal share 

than rail, based on an already available 

road network. At the same time, incentivizing 

a switch to electric cars could be a 

problematic long term strategy. 

“Switching to electric power for private 

cars presents some efficiency benefits, 

but it’s likely to be a long time before we 

have a fully decarbonized electric grid. 

An electric car still needs as much road 

space as a diesel or petrol variant, so they 

will still impose congestion on the economy,” 

says Graham Parkhurst. 

“Zero-emission buses have a role to play 

in improving patronage,” says Tim Griffen, 

project officer, at Zemo Partnership, 

that works to accelerate transport to ZE. 

“As well as the incentive of sustainability, 

they’re clean, quiet, and the ride is more 

pleasurable. But whether it’s a zero-emission 

bus or a diesel bus, if it’s stuck in 

congestion, it’s not going to increase patronage. 

Capital funding to zero-emission 

buses is crucial, but if that doesn’t come 

alongside a proper bus service improvement 

plan with defined routes for bus priority, 

the benefits that ZEBs offer might 

not be fully realised.” 

Fare price 

In recent attempt to increase bus use, 

the government is subsidising a temporary 

flat £2 (€2.27) charge for a single 

journey, operating between January to 

June 2023. CPT says the interim results 

are mixed, and according to an April report 

by Transport Focus , an independent 

watchdog, 11% of bus users say the £2 

bus fare has increased their bus use, up 

from 7 percent in January. 

“The £2 flat fare has meant that we’ve 

seen some pretty significant patronage 

increases on longer distance routes, with 

growth in some cases up to 40 percent,” 

says Martin Dean. For example, Go 

North East’s X10 service between Newcastle 

and Middlesborough, a distance of 

39 miles (63km) is usually £8 (€9), giving 

passengers a significant saving. 

The Confederation of 

Passenger Transport (CPT) 

reports that for every 

1 percent bus speeds 

decrease each year, this 

results in over 10 percent 

fall in passenger numbers 

over the course of a 

decade. The organization 

says congestion is the 

number one challenge to a 

reliable bus service and is 

the main reason people do 

not take the bus, making 

journeys too slow with 

unpredictable timings. 

SUMMING UP FUNDING 

England (outside of London) main ongoing bus fu nding from government 

Fund Recipient Amount 

Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) 

Operators – plus local authorities running com- 

£0.22 (€0.25) per km 

munity transport services 

Revenue Support Grant from the Department for Level- 

Local authorities - typically used to fund con- 

Various per authority, un-ringfenced for discretionary 

ling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) 

cessionary fare reimbursement to bus operators 

investment in bus services* 

and ‘supported’ services not commercially 

viable for operators 

Total ~ £2bn year* 

England (outside of London) ad hoc funding from government 

Fund Recipient Amount 

Covid-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG), rena- 

Operators 

med the Bus Recovery Grant (BSG), set up to support 

lower revenue throughout the pandemic 

£2 Fare Cap subsidy of single fares between January 

and June 2023 

Operators 

Approximately £2bn support to operators during the 

pandemic and up to June 2023 

Local Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) Local authorities – 79 applied for funding; 31 

will be granted funding 

£1.153bn 

* House Commons, Transport Committee, Bus ser vices in England outside London. Ninth Report of Session 2017–19 

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have similar s chemes funded by their devolved administrations. 

Source: Elaboration Sustainable Bus - Alex Byles 

While Go-Ahead Regional Bus is now 

at just over 90 percent patronage, the 

operator notes the UK trend of a slower 

return of concessionary passengers 

– despite their receipt of free travel on 

reaching pension age. Jon Shaw argues 

that replacing free concessionary travel 

with a 50p flat fare for all could increase 

patronage and revenue. 

“Instead of providing free travel for older 

people, and under 22s in Scotland, 

charging a flat fare of 50p still provides 

subsidized transport, but the money that 

you free up can be returned to the bus 

system for the benefit of everybody, 

funding the infrastructure needed to 

increase patronage.” 

Jon Shaw first published this proposal 

in 2014 with colleague Iain Docherty in 

“The Transport Debate”. Allowing for inflation 

from time of writing, the costing 

While Go-Ahead Regional 

Bus is now at just over 

90 percent patronage, the 

operator notes the UK 

trend of a slower return 

of concessionary passengers. 

Jon Shaw argues 

that the introduction of 

a flat fare of 50p (€0.57) 

per single journey would 

free up more than £500m 

(€569m) a year for investment. 

This would make it 

possible to roll out stateof-the-art, 

European style 

bus service quality across 

the equivalent of up to 20 

cities the size of Plymouth 

(250,000 inhabitants) within 

10 years. 

stated that the introduction of a flat fare 

of 50p (€0.57) per single journey would 

free up more than £500m (€569m) a year 

for investment. This would make it possible, 

they argue, to roll out state-of-the-art, 

European style bus service quality across 

the equivalent of up to 20 cities the size 

of Plymouth (250,000 inhabitants) within 

10 years. 

Reliability is king 

“We’re not talking about needing to change 

everyone’s travel habits straight away,” 

says Jon Shaw. “Change 20 or 30 percent 

of people’s travel habits and it gets better 

for everybody. What’s key is providing a 

realistic alternative to enough car journeys 

to make a difference, instead of trying to 

provide an alternative for everything.” 

The key to the habit change is reliability. 

“If you’re trying to attract car users, I 

think it’s absolutely essential to make 

sure you offer reliability as the starting 

point, ahead of the more subtle issues 

like the appeal of electric vehicles,” 

says Peter White. 

This is supported by the view of bus users 

on the ground, where confidence in 

the ability to quickly get from A to B 

reigns supreme. 

“If public transport is not reliable, quick, 

and easy to use, people are going to be 

wedded to their cars, even if it costs them 

money,” concludes Claire Walters. 

Alex Byles 

16 

17

OUTLOOKS 

ELECTRIC BUS MARKET 2022. AND THE WINNER IS... 

4K AND GROWING 

26 percent growth compared to 2021, over 4 

thousand vehicles registered, 30 percent of the 

city bus market being zero-emission. The leaders? 

Yutong, ADL-BYD, Mercedes 

Let the numbers speak: the European 

electric bus market grew by 26 

percent in 2022. Registered buses 

are above 4,000, settling at 4,152. 

The ranking of market leaders is surprising: 

Yutong is first, followed by the joint 

venture between Alexander Dennis and 

BYD, then Daimler Buses with the eCitaro. 

Iveco Bus and VDL are growing, while 

Solaris is lagging behind after two years at 

the helm of this specific market segment, 

which is described once again by the data 

provided by Chatrou CME Solutions (covering 

27 European countries with the addition 

of the United Kingdom, Iceland, Nor- 

way and Switzerland). A key takeaway: 

today, 30 percent of the city bus market is 

zero-emission. 

Surprises are not lacking 

A focus on manufacturers. As already mentioned 

above, Yutong is leading with 479 

registrations. A leap forward (or rather: up) 

of 58 percent compared to 2021. A figure 

which, there’s no denying it, surprised many 

insiders and can be attributed to the lack of 

communication strategy of a group (let’s remember 

it is the largest bus manufacturer in 

the world in terms of sales volumes) which 

has a rather, so to speak, ‘vague’ organization 

on the European market. Most of the 

vehicles registered were sold in the United 

Kingdom, the Nordic countries and France, 

with a share between 60 and 100 electric 

buses for each of these countries. In the first 

two cases, the manufacturer is represented 

by the dealer. Next we find Alexander 

Dennis - BYD, with 465 registrations on 

the British market. Another confirmation 

for the third place: 405 eCitaros were delivered 

last year, up 21 percent compared to 

the previous year. Iveco Bus is fourth (and 

growing by 26 percent), with 347 units registered. 

We are also witnessing the comeback 

of VDL, which after a few ‘out of 

tune’ years has doubled its registrations to 

344 units, reviving the glories of 2019. The 

sixth place of Solaris is surprising, leaving 

behind a 3 percent market share. The Polish 

brand led the e-bus market in 2020 and 

2021. However, the -12 percent in sales volume 

compared to 2021 prefigures nothing 

more than a realignment with respect to val- 

30 percent of the European 

city bus market is zeroemission. 

Yutong is leading 

with 479 registrations. 

A leap forward (or rather: 

up) of 58 percent compared 

to 2021. Most of the 

vehicles sold by the Chinese 

brand were registered 

in UK, Nordic countries 

and France. Iveco Bus is 

fourth (and growing by 26 

percent), with 347 units 

registered. We are also 

witnessing the comeback 

of VDL, which after a few 

‘out of tune’ years has 

doubled its registrations to 

344 units, reviving the 

glories of 2019. 

WHAT’S UP IN THE FUEL 

CELL BUS WORLD? 

In 2022, registrations of fuel cell 

buses in Europe decreased compared 

to 2021: 99 against 158. 

As of January 1st, 2023, 370 fuel 

cell city buses were in operation in 

Europe. Van Hool is still the market 

leader with a total of 106 hydrogen 

buses and a market share 

of 28.6 percent. Then come Solaris 

with 104 registrations (54 last 

year) and Wrightbus with a total 

of 82 buses. It is noteworthy that 

the Bolechowo-based company covered 

over half of the European fuel 

cell market last year. In Germany, 

it has even delivered more hydrogen 

vehicles than battery vehicles. 

Is it a sign of changing times or 

pure coincidence? 

THE CASE FOR CNG 

INTERCITY BUSES... 

Looking at the volumes of each alternative 

drive technology, 4,152 electric 

buses (excluding trolleybuses), 

2,018 hybrid buses, 3,274 natural 

gas buses and 99 hydrogen buses 

were registered in 2022. The total? 

9,543 buses. This means that 62.5 

percent of registered city buses in 

Europe are now powered by alternative 

fuels. The share is up compared 

to 59 percent in 2021, but the total 

volume is down, mainly due to the 

lower volume of hybrid bus registrations 

(-38.5 percent). The city bus 

market decreased drastically last 

year (-14 percent on a continental 

scale). 

Analyzing the gas drive market specifically, 

data shows that the volumes 

of natural gas buses grew 

slightly from 3,088 in 2021 to 3,274 

in 2022 (+6.1 percent) and have settled 

at an almost stable level since 

2020. The interesting aspect is that 

the share of natural gas buses in the 

intercity segment is still growing, 

going from 864 in 2021 to 978 in 

2022. Translated as a percentage: 

+13 percent. 

18 

19

OUTLOOKS 

ues that literally exploded in the 

previous two years (which allow 

the group to maintain its leading 

position considering the 2012- 

2022 period). Especially since 

the Poles have done very well 

in the (small) hydrogen market, 

as we will see. Continuing our 

analysis, it is worth mentioning 

the leap forward made by Karsan, 

which in one year went from 

36 to 135 e-bus registrations: 

+275 percent. Good performance 

also for Chinese Golden Dragon, which 

reached 133 registrations. 

Irizar, Bluebus and Ebusco, on the other 

hand, had more negatives than positives in 

2022. The Spanish manufacturer dropped 

by 45 percent (but there was a boom in registrations 

in 2021...). 

Country by country... 

Ebusco is down 40 percent. 90 units were 

scheduled for delivery in 2022 in Berlin, 

but delivery was delayed due to supply 

chain constraints (the first units landed in 

the German capital in early 2023). There is 

a quite large gap between registration data 

and the statements of the Dutch group, 

which in February 2023 proclaimed an order 

portfolio of 1,474 vehicles (including 

UK leads the ranking of 

countries with the most 

e-bus registrationswith a 

total of 685 e- buses. Germany 

is second with a total 

of 581 electric buses. In five 

European countries, over 

three-quarters of urban vehicle 

registrations are covered 

by electric vehicles. 

20 

WHO GROWS, WHO FALLS... 

2022** 2021** 2020** 2019* Trend volumes Market Market Trend market 

2022/2021 % share 2022 % share 2021 % share 2022/2021 % 

Yutong 479 303 164 105 58.1 11.5 9.2 2.3 

BYD - ADL 465 375 190 79 24 11.2 11.4 -0.2 

Mercedes 405 333 99 126 21.6 9.8 10.1 -0.4 

Iveco Bus / Heuliez Bus 347 274 114 83 26.6 8.4 8.3 0 

VDL 344 178 127 386 93.3 8.3 5.4 2.9 

Solaris 342 390 416 145 -12.3 8.2 11.9 -3.6 

BYD 322 257 424 236 25.3 7.8 7.8 -0.1 

Volvo Buses 232 211 217 135 10 5.6 6.4 -0.8 

MAN 230 134 25 0 71.6 5.5 4.1 1.5 

Karsan 135 36 23 *** 275 3.3 1.1 2.2 

Golden Dragon 133 53 *** *** 150.9 3.2 1.6 1.6 

Wrightbus 112 *** *** *** - 2.7 - 2.7 

Irizar 110 201 24 127 -45.3 2.6 6.1 -3.5 

Bluebus 91 105 17 15 -13.3 2.2 3.2 -1 

Van Hool 87 *** *** *** - 2.1 - 2.1 

Ebusco 78 132 109 102 -40.9 1.9 4 -2.1 

SOR *** 60 51 *** - - 1.8 - 

Optare *** 52 31 31 - - 1.6 - 

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

Scania *** 15 1 0 - - 0.5 - 

Others 240 137 178 115 - - - - 

Total 4,152 3,282 2,210 1,685 26.5 100 - 100 

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

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

*** Figure not available 

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

EUROPEAN LANDSCAPE 

2022 2021 2020 Trend e-bus Share of e-buses on 

registrations 2021/2020 city 

2022/2021 % bus market 2021 %* 

UK 685 540 288 26.9 51.7 

Germany 581 555 350 4.7 20.6 

France 549 512 133 7.2 27.3 

Denmark 381 217 1 75.6 100.8 

Finland 279 190 25 46.8 93.9 

Sweden 256 189 206 35.4 54.2 

Norway 216 86 210 151.2 145.9 

Poland 149 215 196 -30.7 25.1 

Luxembourg 138 29 38 375.9 89.6 

Spain 136 127 42 7.1 15.3 

Italy 121 178 97 -32 15.5 

Netherlands 95 152 445 -37.5 84.8 

Switzerland 81 37 7 118.9 32.3 

Portugal 52 31 8 67.7 7.5 

Belgium 42 19 12 121.1 13.5 

* Figure not available 

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

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

ond with a total of 581 electric buses, followed 

by France with 549 units. It is worth 

mentioning Denmark, where 381 e-buses 

were registered last year. However, beyond 

the total volumes, it is particularly interestalso 

the options). 

As already mentioned, the United Kingdom 

leads the ranking of countries with 

the most e-bus registrations in 2022 with a 

total of 685 electric buses. Germany is sec- 

ing to compare electric vehicle registrations 

with the total urban registrations. 

In five European countries, over three-quarters 

of urban vehicle registrations are 

covered by electric vehicles. Indeed, the 

assumption according to which electric vehicles 

can only be Class I has come to an 

end: the cases of Denmark and Norway are 

proof of this. Here the volume of e-buses 

exceeds the total number of urban registrations. 

The Netherlands, Luxembourg 

and Finland follow the Nordic duo, but 

the picture offered by the United Kingdom 

and Sweden is also notable, on much more 

conspicuous total bus registration volumes: 

the share of battery-electric vehicles 

is over 50 percent. 27 percent in France 

and 20 percent in Germany. Italy and Spain 

stop at 15 percent. And Italy is curiously 

the only country, together with Poland, in 

which the registrations of electric buses 

have lost ground in 2022. Actually, there 

would be a third country, the Netherlands, 

where however the public transport electrification 

rate is already very high and a drop 

in volumes can be basically attributable to 

an already saturated market. P.B. 

21

OUTLOOKS 

OUTLOOK EUROPEAN MARKETS: TRENDS AND FORECASTS 

TOWARDS A NEW 

STATUS QUO? 

How do we recover from a pandemic? By 2022, 

the five main European markets had lost a 

quarter of their volumes compared to 2019. 

In Germany, 1,000 vehicles have ‘disappeared’ 

How is the European bus market 

doing, three years after the 

outbreak of the pandemic? Has 

the (copious) public funding 

allocated to the chapters of shared mobility 

and decarbonisation already started 

to translate into growing orders? Has the 

great loss of 2020 been recovered? These 

are all questions that can be answered by 

putting the market data of the last four 

years in sequence. Questions to which it 

will rarely be possible to answer with a 

clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’, most of the 

time leaving room for an alternation 

of lights, shadows and 

grayscales. Yes, it is possible 

to identify the trends that informed 

the years from 2019 to 

2022. And to draw some conclusions. 

The data reported in these pages 

come from one source: 

Chatrou CME Solutions, aka 

Wim Chatrou, which has been 

for years a continental point 

of reference as regards the tracking 

of bus registrations in 

European countries. We focus 

on the main markets: Germany, 

France, Italy, United Kingdom, 

Spain. Five countries that historically 

cover a good 70 percent of registrations 

in Western Europe. 

France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain 

Speaking of numbers, the EU market in 

the last four years is led by France, with 

a total of 22,244 registered buses and 

coaches. More than Germany, which follows 

closely with 21,402. Italy, the UK 

and Spain are far away. And it is precisely 

Financed markets are 

holding up (and there is 

no shortage of funds), 

for the coach market 

it is a real collapse: 54 

percent less vehicles 

registered last year 

compared to the last year 

before the pandemic. 

with our ‘cousins’ from across the Alps 

that we begin our four-year journey of 

market ups and downs. Over 5,800 pieces 

in 2019, the French market suffered a 9 

percent drop in 2020. It should be borne 

in mind, however, that the 2019 figure 

was the highest since 2010, except for 

over 6,000 recorded in 2015. 

The French market, as known, is a market 

in which school buses traditionally play 

a leading role, meaning Class II buses 

deployed for school transport services. 

In this segment, 2022 marked a return to 

2019 volumes (2,400 units), putting an 

end to a two-year period of… growth. 

Yes, over 2,600 and over 2,800 intercity 

buses registered in 2020 and 2021 embody 

an inverse trend to that generally 

attributable to the pandemic. The Class 

I market has remained almost stable, leading 

to a boom in 2021. Tourist coaches 

are collapsing, but it is the proverbial discovery 

of America: in 2022, a good half 

of them were registered compared to the 

2019 figure. An almost stable downsizing 

since 2020 onwards. A collapse, moreover, 

limited to vehicles over 15 tons. For 

the range between 8 and 15 tons, the lan- 

22 

23

OUTLOOKS 

The main markets, France 

and Germany, experienced 

a real explosion in volumes 

in ‘20 and ‘21 in one 

segment each: Class II in 

France, Class I in Germany. 

Peaks between 20 and 

30 percent more than the 

2019 figure. A dynamic that 

has no counterpart in the 

other countries analyzed 

and which appears to be 

attributable, mainly in the 

German case, to a real 

‘diesel bus rush’ in view of 

the Clean Vehicle Directive, 

which sets the constraint 

of a 45 percent share of low 

emission buses and 22.5 

percent of zero emission in 

the context of public tenders 

starting from 8/2021. 

2019, which was in line with a nice hat 

trick that started in 2016. The drop in the 

urban segment is consistent with the total 

trend, while the Class III saw a surge in 

2022. 

The diesel rush 

Some final considerations that unite several 

countries. The main continental markets, 

France and Germany, experienced 

a real explosion in volumes in 2020 and 

2021 in one segment each: Class II in 

France, Class I in Germany. Peaks between 

20 and 30 percent more than the 

2019 figure. A dynamic that has no counterpart 

in the other countries analyzed and 

which appears to be attributable, mainly 

in the German case, to a real ‘diesel bus 

rush’ in view of the Clean vehicle directive, 

which, as well known, sets the quota 

of a 45 percent share of ‘low emission’ 

buses (and 22.5 percent of ‘zero emission’) 

in the context of public tenders 

starting from August 2021. There is also 

the effect, especially in the German case, 

of a tumultuous concentration of transit 

activities in the hands of large operators, 

with small players swept away by the 

pandemic. Large operators who, simultaneously 

with the takeover of local companies, 

have begun to renew their fleets 

to buffer the consequences of particularly 

high average age. Another consideration. 

For the world of Class III it is simplistic 

to speak of contraction. The 6,133 vehicles 

registered in 2019 became 2,799 in 

2022. Minus 54 percent. It is known that 

2019 was a particularly prosperous year 

for the world of tourist coaches. The year 

in which the (failed) Blablabus project 

was launched and the foundations of the 

Itabus project (recently acquired by Italo...) 

were laid in Italy. These were the 

litmus tests of a market perceived to be 

growing rapidly, a harbinger of profits. 

A few months later, the ‘black swan’ arrived. 

Today, the main barriers to growing 

again are called dilation of delivery 

times (aka supply chain crisis) and lack 

of drivers. Combined with anti-inflation 

maneuvers that have a heavy impact 

on leasing costs. Riccardo Schiavo 

dslide is much more limited. 

Let’s move on to Germany, where the 

city bus market did very well, up to 

3,942 registrations in 2021. 34 percent 

more than the 2019 value. The intercity 

bus market is stable. Coaches collapse: 

the sum of registrations in the last three 

years is slightly higher than the 2019 figure. 

In 2022, a thousand coaches were 

‘left behind’ compared to 2019. Only 

the United Kingdom, among the markets 

analysed, suffered a comparable decline, 

as we will see shortly. 

Coach business in numbers 

In Italy, 2019 had brought exceptional 

numbers. Over 3,000 registered vehicles 

in that year. The last three years have 

seen the market spiral around 2,400 buses. 

What about the 600 ‘lost’ pieces? 

They are mostly coaches. A market that 

reached 965 registrations in Class III in 

FOUR YEARS UNDER THE LENS 

France Germany Italy UK Spain TOT segment 

2022 City buses 2,012 2,819 782 1,326 887 7,826 

Intercity buses 2,425 1,021 1,230 - 256 4,932 

Coaches 635 495 430 515 724 2,799 

Total 5,072 4,335 2,442 1,841 1,867 15,557 

2021 City buses 2,660 3,942 1,166 1,222 908 9,898 

Intercity buses 2,845 1,309 872 - 234 5,260 

Coaches 546 478 398 421 380 2,223 

Total 6,051 5,729 2,436 1,643 1,522 17,381 

2020 City buses 1,913 3,791 1,027 1,142 985 8,858 


Coaches 765 558 394 382 526 2,625 

Total 5,302 5,711 2,319 1,524 1,805 16,661 

2019 City buses 2,044 2,900 1,219 1,799 1,212 9,174 


Coaches 1,372 1,340 965 1,307 1,149 6,133 

Total 5,816 5,627 3,081 3,106 2,759 20,389 

Bus and coach registrations above 8 tonnes. Elaboration by Sustainable Bus on data by 

Chatrou CME Solutions. 

2019 has seen the coach segment settle 

in the last three years around 400 units. 

A bad setback, in 2022, for the Class I. 

The past year, on the other hand, decreed 

a conspicuous expansion of the Class II 

segment, which alone covered the exact 

half of the overall market above 8 tons. 

A fun fact: 2019 was an exceptional year 

also for articulated vehicles: 253 registered 

vehicles, well above the sum of vehicles 

registered in the three years between 

2020 and 2022. 

Let’s fly across the Channel. In the United 

Kingdom, urban buses have contracted 

by a quarter. Coaches sank: the Class III 

registered between 2020 and 2022 equal 

those registered in the last year before 

the pandemic. It is a market in which, it is 

legitimate to assume, the effects of Brexit 

have been added to the effects of Covid 

and the raw materials crisis in decreeing 

a truly dramatic reduction in volumes: the 

average for the triennium 2020-2022 corresponds 

to half of the registered vehicles 

in 2019. This, in turn, in contrast with the 

continental markets, was characterized by 

volumes that were 20 percent lower compared 

to the period 2015-2017. 

We end our overview in Spain. The total 

market for 2020-2022 is worth, on average, 

1,700 pieces a year. A third less than 

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OUTLOOKS 

By James Nix, freight manager 

at European research 

and advocacy group 

Transport & Environment. 

In this article, he discusses 

the increasing trend of cities 

buying electric buses 

and the need for a ramped 

up supply to meet the 

rising demand. 

«EU LAW NEEDS TO BOOST THE DEPLOYMENT OF ELECTRIC BUSES» 

FIT FOR ZERO 

EMISSION? 

Law-makers should set a 2027 deadline for 

100 per cent zero emission urban bus sales, 

or supply will fall behind demand, according to 

Transport & Environment 

Cities are increasingly buying electric 

buses. Almost one in three 

newly-registered urban buses in 

2022 was zero emission. That’s a 

doubling of the 2020 sales share, putting cities 

on track to buy 100% zero emission from 

2026 (see graph). 

It’s important therefore that the supply of 

these buses is ramped up at the same speed. 

Greater scale will reduce prices. Unfortunately 

the European Commission is leaving cities 

short in this regard. Its recent proposal to 

clean up new urban buses (as part of a draft 

law that also covers trucks and coaches) requires 

urban bus manufacturers to provide 

100% zero emission sales only in 2030. As a 

result, supply would lag behind demand by 

three to four years. 

Across vehicle types, the function of EU law 

is to lead - not follow - market developments. 

The bloc’s car CO2 targets essentially forced 

carmakers to supply electric cars – vehicles 

that motorists already wanted to buy. Urban 

buses should be no different. 

A draft law in front of the Parliament 

Thankfully, the draft law is now before the 

European Parliament and member states. 

Both institutions are expected to set out their 

positions on the proposal by early Autumn, 

and have the power to bring the date forward 

from 2030 to 2027. 

Leading cities across Europe are only buying 

zero emission buses – or have pledged to do 

so by 2025. These include Amsterdam, Barcelona, 

Berlin, Birmingham, Copenhagen, 

Hamburg, Heidelberg, Liverpool, London, 

Madrid, Greater Manchester, Milan, Oslo, 

Oxford, Paris, Rome, Rotterdam, and Warsaw. 

Add to this all other Dutch cities, Denmark’s 

six largest municipalities, Irish cities, 

leading Bulgarian and Romanian cities, and 

a number of German cities not mentioned 

above. As the number of pledges grows, it’s 

becoming increasingly difficult to compile 

a complete list of all municipalities leaving 

diesel and gas buses behind. 

Last October, in a letter with more than 30 

signatories, cities joined health organisations, 

green groups and public transport 

stakeholders to call on the European Commission 

to propose 2027 as the year from 

when all new urban bus sales are zero emission. 

Already, Daimler has pledged to only 

26 

27

OUTLOOKS 

FIGURES, TRENDS, GOALS 

Share ZE buses in city bus market 

100% 

80% 

60% 

40% 

20% 

0% 

100% 100% 100% 

16% 23% 30% 

12% 

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 

● Continuation of observed growth 

● EU Commission proposal 

Sales target needed for all new urban buses to be zero-emission from 2027. 

Source: Transport & Environment 

● T&E recommendations 

Electric is cheaper than 

alternative powertrains 

which have been adopted 

in the past, such as biogas. 

As experts such as 

the International Council 

on Clean Transportation 

point out, biogas can’t be 

made widely available at 

reasonable cost, and the 

amount that’s available is 

more efficiently used than 

in transport. Also, in terms 

of citizens’ health, gaseous 

fuels still release air 

pollutants, whether fossil 

gas or biogas. To reduce 

climate emissions, air pollution 

and energy use as 

much as possible, electric 

is the best answer. 

sell zero emission urban buses from 2030 in 

Europe. And other OEMs are only focusing 

on electric technologies for the city bus segment. 

It’s now time for law-makers to nudge 

bus-makers beyond their own internal corporate 

targets. 

Electric buses are ripe for universal adoption. 

For example, 96% of new buses registered 

in Bulgaria in 2022 were electric, up 

from 73% in 2021. In relative terms, Bulgaria 

is one of the EU’s least wealthy member 

states - but this is not retarding its work to 

clean up buses. 

On the TCO of e-buses 

Another major factor suggests the trend line 

to zero-emission buses will get steeper: cost. 

In late 2021 Bocconi University and the 

Enel Foundation looked at the total costs 

of ownership of electric versus fossil buses. 

Across a range of markets, they found that it 

was only a matter of time before the higher 

capital costs of electric buses would be offset 

by lower energy and maintenance costs. 

Already, Daimler has 

pledged to only sell zeroemission 

urban buses from 

2030 in Europe. And other 

OEMs are only focusing on 

electric technologies for 

the city bus segment. It’s 

now time for law-makers to 

nudge bus-makers beyond 

their own internal corporate 

targets. 

The timing of the turning point – when the 

balance of costs tips in favour of electric – 

varied, but in all markets studied (Italy, Latin 

America, Spain, UK and US) electric will be 

cheaper by the end of this year. 

What about biogas? 

Electric is also cheaper than alternative 

powertrains which have been adopted in 

the past, such as biogas. As experts such 

as the International Council on Clean 

Transportation point out, biogas can’t 

be made widely available at reasonable 

cost, and the amount that’s available is 

more efficiently used than in transport. 

Also, in terms of citizens’ health, gaseous 

fuels still release air pollutants, 

whether fossil gas or biogas. To reduce 

climate emissions, air pollution and energy 

use as much as possible, electric is 

the best answer. 

The coming months will see the pace and 

scale of bus decarbonisation debated in 

the European Parliament. E-bus demand 

is running ahead of projections – and looks 

set to rise further still, particularly as 

cities fulfil their 2025 pledges. The right 

date for full zero emission urban bus deployment 

is 2027. Otherwise, constrained 

by a lack of availability, or prices that are 

too high due to insufficient supply, cities 

will be forced to keep buying combustion 

buses. Aside from fossil fuel producers 

and petro-dictators, that’s an outcome noone 

wants. 

James Nix, Transport & Environment 

28 

29

EXPO 

ELEKBU 2023 

THE GERMAN GATHERING 

The articulated 3.0 by Ebusco, Van 

Hool new fuel cell bus, the new 

generation driverless shuttle by ZF are 

just a few of the novelties showcased 

at the 14th ElekBu 

For a long time perceived as a fair 

of exclusively German interest, the 

event promoted by the powerful 

VDV, the German organization of 

public transport companies, has taken on 

an importance over the years that we would 

not hesitate to define as international. This 

is due to the importance of a market that is 

still among the top two in Europe in terms 

of sales (and the first in terms of supply). 

The fact is that ElekBu, an exhibition born 

as a ‘side event’ for a two-day conference, 

has gradually gained its independence and 

now registers an abundance of novelties 

and participants in the field of public transport 

and electric buses that surpasses the 

IAA in Hanover. 

19 manufacturers were represented, out 

of nearly 80 exhibitors. There would have 

been 20 if Volvo Buses had not canceled its 

participation at the last minute following 

the changed direction of the European 

business (we are talking about the stop, 

announced in March, of the production of 

complete buses with closure of the Wroclaw 

plant in 2024). 

Just under twenty buses on display, also 

considering the ZF driverless shuttle, 

which is also a real novelty presented 

for the first time in Europe. Too bad that 

Quantron, due to a last-minute breakdown, 

had to leave its bus at home. 

ARTHUR BUS 

Debuting exactly one year ago at the Bus2Bus 

in Berlin, Arthur once again presented 

its H2 Bus hydrogen vehicle. One unit 

is being tested at the Krakow municipal 

company. The company has its headquarters 

in Lublin, Poland, while its German 

offices are near Munich. Keyword: modularity. 

The standard fuel cell module, for 

example, is the 70 kW model from Ballard 

Power Systems. But you can opt for other 

power settings in the range between 60 and 

125 kW. 12,015 millimeters in length, the 

vehicle is powered by a ZF e-axle (for a 

total of 250 kW of power output) and features 

a small LTO battery pack with a selectable 

capacity between 15 and 45 kWh. The 

hydrogen is stored in Type 4 cylinders for a 

maximum capacity of 37.5 kg compressed 

at 350 bar. The vehicle is already offered 

in tenders, the feedback relating to the start 

of serial production is not very convincing. 

«As soon as the first orders arrive», the 

company explains. 

BYD 

The almost nineteen-meter BYD painted in 

colors that are very (very…) similar to those 

of the local operator BVG Berlin could not 

go unnoticed. The more malignant could 

see this as a pronouncement that is halfway 

between an announcement and a wish, since 

the Shenzhen group has not won any tenders 

in the capital (so far). It is safe to assume 

that BYD intends to present itself with 

a knife in its teeth in the tender for 350 articulated 

e-buses announced by BVG in mid- 

March. The 18,750-mm vehicle exhibited 

in Berlin features the traditional in-house 

hub motors and a 563 kWh battery. 

EBUSCO 

There were two vehicles at the Dutch manufacturer’s 

stand. The 2.2 model, in the 

iconic BVG Berlin livery, is relatively no 

news (the 90 vehicles won at the end of 

2021 are being delivered, with a little delay 

due to supply problems). By the way, 

this is not the only vehicle with a Berlin 

‘dress’, as mentioned before - but undoubtedly 

the only one to have the right to 

do so. In any case, the catalyst of interest 

is the 3.0 in articulated size, presented in 

December 2022 and at its first trade show 

appearance. Weighing 14.5 tons (8.530 

kg of tare for the 12-meter), the model 

relies on very light structure, achieved 

thanks to the bodywork in composite ma- 

terials and technologies derived from the 

aeronautical industry. Another qualifying 

element is the battery placed on the floor 

in the standard version with a capacity of 

350 kWh. In the versions with increased 

capacity (up to 541), the remaining packs 

are on the roof. Now, all that is missing 

is deliveries: the vehicle is currently circulating 

only in Munich, but the orders 

as at December 31st 2022 were 565 (model 

3.0 only). Ebusco’s 2022 data speak 

of EBITDA losses of almost 35 million 

euros (despite the fact that the turnover 

has grown to 111 millions). The Dutch 

company has stated its goal of achieving 

a production volume of «more than 3,000 

zero-emission buses per year within the 

next five years». A rather ambitious target, 

considering that last year closed with 

78 vehicles registered. 

INDUSTRIA ITALIANA AUTOBUS 

The electric bus by Industria Italiana Autobus 

is the protagonist of the (not only 

commercial) deal signed with Caetano- 

Bus. An agreement under which, as announced 

in the second half of last year at 

the Next Mobility Exhibition in Milan, 

IIA markets the range of H2.City Gold 

fuel cell buses developed by CaetanoBus 

ElekBu, an exhibition 

born as a ‘side event’ for 

a two-day conference, 

has gradually gained its 

independence and now 

registers an abundance 

of novelties and participants 

in the field of public 

transport and electric 

buses that surpasses the 

IAA in Hanover. 

- Toyota in Italy. The production of buses 

for the Italian market equipped with a fuel 

cell kit developed by the Japanese-Portuguese 

axis is expected to start from 2024. 

The lesser-known part of the agreement is 

that, reciprocally, CaetanoBus will market 

the Citymood 12e built in Italy on foreign 

markets (in place of its own e.City Gold, 

a project that CaetanoBus has put on the 

back burner to focus on hydrogen). Little 

to add on the IIA’s 12-meter, powered by 

a Siemens central electric motor (although 

it would be better to say ‘Cummins’, in 

light of the acquisition dated 2022). Battery? 

Maximum of 495 kWh, NMC formula 

30 

31

EXPO 

GROWING GROWING 

Born as a small exhibition of vehicles and 

technologies accompanying a two-day conference 

(it was 2009), the German ElekBu 

is today a reference event for the German 

market of public transport and zero-emission 

mobility. The original idea of the VDV, the association 

of German public transport companies 

that unites over 600 operators, was to 

offer a platform for discussions and exchanges 

between operators on the then developing 

(let’s remember it: 2009!) electric mobility. 

It all takes place in a hotel, the Estrel in 

Berlin, which prides itself of being one of the 

largest structures in Europe. So much so that 

it has its own congress center and exhibition 

area. Two pavilions for an exhibition which in 

the record-breaking 2023 edition, held at the 

beginning of March, hosted 78 exhibitors and 

around twenty buses over an area of 5 thousand 

square meters. What about the participants? 

1,200, and paying (the entrance fee 

is around 800 euros). Once that threshold 

was reached, the organizers closed the registrations. 

The result is an intimate event, centered 

on a conspicuous conference schedule 

and marked by networking opportunities 

(driven by an ever-changing catering and by 

an organization of spaces dotted with rest ‘islands’ 

and tables). 

(here the logo is Akasol - Borgwarner). 

IRIZAR E-MOBILITY 

Irizar e-mobility is distributed in the DACH 

countries by the German company Jebsen 

& Jessens, which owns the stand at ElekBu 

(where a Mellor minibus is also hosted). 

There are few novelties related to the 

12-meter ie tram in Madrid livery. Ten vehicles 

are circulating in the Spanish capital on 

a freshly inaugurated BRT line. 

IVECO BUS 

Iveco Bus participated in the Berlin fair 

with the 12-meter E-Way with Siemens/ 

Cummins central electric motor and For- 

see Power batteries. News will soon come 

about batteries: the Iveco Bus E-Way range 

will soon be equipped with the modules 

made in Turin by the collaboration between 

Microvast and Fpt Industrial. 

MAN 

Each edition of the ElekBu conference 

schedule revolves around a specific theme. 

This year it was all about autonomous 

driving. MAN, in addition to exhibiting 

a 12-meter Lion’s City E in the pavilion, 

took part in the event through Product 

Strategy Bus Manager Michael Roth, who 

illustrated projects and roadmaps put in 

place by the Lion in view of the goal of 

In the big picture, the Van 

Hool A12 Fuel Cell. On the 

right: Iveco Bus E-Way 

and BYD 18-meter eBus. 

Below, from left to right: 

Irizar ie tram, Citymood 

12e by Industria Italiana 

Autobus, Ebusco 3.0 

18-meter, Arthur H2 Bus. 

having autonomous buses in series production 

by 2030. According to the German 

company, the adoption of driverless buses 

will allow TCO savings of 50 percent 

for transport companies (and it is implicit 

what cost item generates the revenues…). 

A project conducted for the driverless approach 

to bus stops is already behind us. 

The BeIntelli project will kick off by the 

end of 2023, with a bus equipped for autonomous 

driving on a test line in the urban 

fabric of central Berlin. 

MCV 

It was the début fair for the MCV C127 EV, 

an absolute novelty for the Egyptian com- 

pany. More information in a dedicated report 

at page 42 in this same issue! 

MELLOR 

The main business of the British company, 

based in Rochdale, near Manchester, has 

always been linked to the transformation 

of Sprinter vans (the annual production is 

around 600 pieces). The electric focus and 

the development of its own range (initially 

the brand proposed an electrified model 

Orion E derived precisely from the Sprinter) 

is the result of a strategic decision taken 

in 2019. At the end of 2021, the Sigma 

range was presented, also designed for 

export, which when fully operational will 

consist of six models between 7 and 12 

meters. At the moment, the company markets 

the seven-meter bus exhibited in Berlin 

and has about fifty units already sold in 

Sweden. The vehicle is 7,150 millimeters 

long and weighs, when empty, 6.2 tons. It 

is powered by a 160 kW Dana TM4 motor 

(the rear axle is also by Dana). What about 

the batteries? CATL logo, 127 kWh capacity. 

The chassis, in stainless steel, is made 

in China, while the fiberglass bodywork is 

made ‘in house’. Inside there is room for 

31 passengers. 

Mellor is part of the WNVTech group, under 

which there are six brands covering, 

in addition to the bus segment, the special 

vehicle business (including ambulances, 

limousines and hearses), and automotive 

technologies. 

MERCEDES 

Daimler Buses has once again exhibited 

its eCitaro, the market leader in Germany 

with 296 registrations in 2022 (a market 

share of 47 percent). The bus on display is 

equipped with Preventive Brake Assist and 

Sideguard Assist. 

The eCitaro can be ordered with third-generation 

Akasol batteries (acquired by the 

Borgwarner group). German customers 

have already ordered around 200 units. 

Also based on NMC, they make it possible 

to reach 588 kWh on 12 meters and 

686 on 18-meter buses, thanks to the higher 

energy density. 

QUANTRON 

Too bad for the breakdown that did not 

allow Quantron to attend ElekBu with the 

vehicle. The 12-meter Cizaris 12 EV, presented 

at the beginning of 2022, has a chassis 

made in China by the strategic partner 

(as well as investor) EV Dynamics. The bus 

features LFP batteries by CATL and Dana 

TM4 synchronous central motor capable of 

245 kW peak power. The battery capacity 

can vary between 242 and 424 kWh. The 

next step for the German group (also very 

focused on the truck segment...) will be the 

launch of a fuel cell bus. 

SKODA 

Even the trolleybus share was respected, at 

ElekBu 2023, thanks to Skoda. Here at the 

Estrel hotel is the 32TR two-axle 12-meter 

(per millimeter), with SOR bodywork. 

SOLARIS 

Nothing new for Solaris, which was present 

at ElekBu with an Urbino 18 Electric. 

A model which, as announced by the 

new CEO Javier Iriarte at the press conference 

on 2022 results, «will be launched 

during the year in a renewed version, with 

a modular driveline and battery packs located 

on the roof. The engine tower will 

disappear. Battery capacity will also be 

increased». Solaris closed last year with 

1,492 buses sold, a third of which were 

zero-emissions. 

VAN HOOL 

Soon on the road under the insignia of the 

German operator RMV, the Van Hool A12 

Fuel Cell represents the new generation of 

hydrogen buses signed by the Belgian ma- 

32 

33

EXPO 

In the big picture, the 

7-meter Mellor Sigma 

distributed in DACH 

countries by Jebsen & 

Jessens. On the right, the 

new generation ZF driverless 

shuttle. Below, MCV 

C127 EV, Skoda 32TR 

with SOR bodywork and 

Mercedes eCitaro. 

To help you move towards 

sustainable mobility 

Otokar develops vehicles powered by alternative energy, 

which will be adapted to your urban and intercity transport needs. 

34 

nufacturer, which is market leader in Europe 

for this technology (106 buses registered 

as of December 31st 2022). Van Hool’s A 

range was launched last year. The bus exhibited 

in Berlin, 12,225 millimeters long, features 

a 70 kW Ballard fuel cell module and 

a Siemens central electric motor with 160 

kW peak power (also available in a 210 kW 

version). What about the batteries? A small 

24 kWh package, LTO formula, which is 

quite a standard for H2 buses. On the roof 

there is room for 38.5 kilos of hydrogen 

compressed at 350 bars. 

VDL 

From Holland, here is the Citea 12-meter, 

the ‘son’ of the new generation launched 

last year and enhanced by batteries integrated 

into the floor and the use of composite 

materials aimed at reducing masses. 

ZF 

Among the main novelties of the fair there 

is the autonomous new generation shuttle 

put on display for the first time in Europe 

by ZF, after the launch held at the CES 

in Las Vegas at the beginning of the year. 

Mind you: the one exhibited in Berlin was 

something less than a pre-series, since the 

strategies of the Friedrichshafen-based 

group see effective use of the vehicle on 

the road no earlier than 2026. But the first 

tests will begin soon. What distinguishes 

the shuttle exhibited in Berlin from the 

‘old’ shuttle created in collaboration with 

the partially-controlled 2getthere is that, 

if the latter is intended for use in segregated 

lanes, the new vehicle aims to be able 

to circulate in traffic. Battery capacity to 

be chosen between 50 and 100 kWh, passenger 

capacity of 22 people (15 of whom 

seated): these are the specs of a vehicle 

that inaugurated the ARAIV brand, launched 

(in a subdued manner) by ZF on the 

occasion of ElekBu. This is the ‘umbrella’ 

under which all the company’s activities 

in the field of driverless mobility are 

now grouped. 

Electric 

From 6.60 to 18 m 

www.otokareurope.com 

Hybrid 

12 m 

Naturel Gas 

From 12 to 13 m


MAN LION’S CITY 10E 

FAMILY BUSINESS 

Based on the same platform as the 

Lion’s City 12E (with wheelbase 

shortened), the 10.5-meter variant is 

one ton lighter and features battery 

capacity up to 400 kWh 

Four years later, MAN is back with a 10.5-meter 

urban bus and immediately aims for large 

figures. Derived from the Lion’s City 12E, the 

MAN 10E aims to conquer a large share of a 

market still almost to be discovered, until now reserved 

for Turkish and Chinese manufacturers and... for Irizar, 

which in 2020 won a tender in Genoa, Italy, with a 

model that has remained almost unique ever since. 

The Lion’s City 10E, which was already designed for 

the launch of the new urban range but was then slowed 

down by other product priorities (including the new 

Low Entry), will be officially presented to the public 

at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit in Barcelona. 

In the meantime, it has already been offered in 

some tenders (over twenty vehicles have already been 

ordered in Switzerland and Germany) and we will soon 

see it circulating in Italy as well. 

10-meter e-buses, a growing market 

The 10E satisfies those countries where there is a strong 

demand for city buses under twelve meters that ensure 

good passenger capacity. Thanks to a empty weight approximately 

one ton lighter than the 12-meter bus (at 

least in the configuration with maximum battery capacity), 

the Lion’s City 10E simultaneously saturates the 

standing room areas with the permitted limit masses, 

managing in some configurations to exceed the total 

eighty passengers. Weight distribution, thanks to the 

battery packs positioned on the roof both at the front 

and at the rear, is thus optimized. 

In the standard configuration with three double doors 

there is room for 27 seats plus a wheelchair platform, 

plus about fifty standing places, for an overall capacity 

of around 80 passengers, in line with ICE buses of the 

same length. 

As anticipated, the 10E takes advantage of the new 

MAN city bus range modular design and, by only 

shortening the wheelbase, brings the overall length to 

Derived from the Lion’s 

City 12E, the 10E aims to 

conquer a share of a market 

still to be discovered. It 

features a empty weight approximately 

one ton lighter 

than the 12-meter bus. 

36 

37


just under 10.6 meters. These proportions 

allow it to have a very small turning circle, 

similar to that of shorter buses where the rear 

overhang is reduced. 

No changes at the powertrain 

The powertrain is the same as the 12E, with a 

Traton synchronous central motor capable of 

160 kW of continuous power and 240 peak, 

and with a maximum torque of 2,100 Nm 

available from 900 RPM upward. The motor, 

located less than a meter from the axle 

and connected by a single cardan shaft, integrates 

an output reduction of 1:1.595, which 

is added to 1:5.12 at the axle. In this way, the 

traditional inverted portal axle ZF AV133 is 

maintained, guaranteeing maximum interchangeability 

of parts with diesel or methane 

buses. Still speaking about the axles, it 

should be remembered that the front axle is 

the ZF with RL82EC independent wheels, 

equipped with Wabco ECAS electronically 

controlled air suspension and PCV self-adaptive 

hydraulic shock absorbers. Total or partial 

lowering at stops (kneeling) is standard, 

while parallel lifting of about 70 mm up to a 

10 km/h speed is optional. 

The braking system is made of Knorr SB 

and SN series calipers, and it features Wab- 

co’s EBS electronic control, which integrates 

ABS/ASR and, on request, ESP (stability 

control). The level of wear of each single 

gasket can be monitored on the dashboard, 

with two-level alerts for the driver and the 

workshop. The latter is sent via RIO box. 

Battery packs? On the roof 

Traction control is entrusted to an inverter 

positioned behind the motor itself, with a 

cooling unit located on the left side and 

accessible from a special little door. Next 

to the inverter radiator, a further heat exchanger 

keeps the motor temperatures in 

an optimal range, circulating specific oil 

in a small circuit with both lubrication and 

cooling functions. 

The batteries are lithium-ion with NMC technology, 

in four or five modules of 80 kWh 

each. BMS unit and temperature control 

system are integrated. The working voltage 

is between 504 and 765 VCC, with a nominal 

value of 662 VCC. The ‘Reliable range’ 

maintenance function makes it possible to 

minimize the deterioration of batteries over 

the years, with a DoD (depth of discharge) 

that can be set between 65 and 80 percent of 

the capacity. The charging system features 

two standard CCS2 sockets, for power up 

ID CARD 

Length mm 10,575 

Width mm 2,550 

Height mm 3,320 

Wheelbase mm 4,395 

Overhang front / rear mm 2,775 / 3,405 

Internal height mm 2,390 

Entrance height mm 320 

Doors width mm 1,250 / 1,200 / 1,200 

Floor distance from ground mm 365 

Turning circle mm 17,200 

Empty weight kg 13,630 

GVW kg 19,500 

Seats n. 25 

Standing passengers 42 

Passengers capacity 67 

Driver seat’ model ISRI ProActive 2 

Heating / cooling technolgy 

Electric air 

conditioning with 

integrated heat pump 

Refrigerant 

R134 

Motor brand model 

Traton 

Output peak / continuous kW 240 / 160 

Torque peak / continuous Nm 2,100 / 1,400 

Battery supplier 

Traton / LG 

Battery formula 

NMC 

Battery cooling 

Water 

Battery placement 

Roof 

Battery capacity / usable kWh 400 / 320 

Charging power kW 

up to 150 (DC) 

Front axle 

ZF RL 82 EC 

Rear axle 

ZF AV133 

Tyres 

275/70R22.5 

The powertrain is the 

same as the 12E, with 

a Traton synchronous 

central motor capable 

of 160 kW of continuous 

power and 240 peak, 

and with a maximum 

torque of 2,100 Nm. The 

motor, located less than 

a meter from the axle and 

connected by a single 

cardan shaft, integrates 

an output reduction of 

1:1.595, which is added to 

1:5.12 at the axle. 

to 150 kW, with the main point at the righthand 

side front axle and four other positions 

depending on customer’s choice (front, lefthand 

side, central rear, right-rear). The communication 

protocol complies with the ISO 

15118 standard. 

Technicalities! 

The motor-compressor of the Knorr aircooled 

screw-type pneumatic system is powered 

by high voltage. This is added to the 

traditional Wabco AMU electronically managed 

integrated unit, which includes a dryer 

with electric resistance, oil and condensate 

separator, divider valve. 

The roof air conditioning unit is also high 

voltage, to be chosen between the Eberspächer 

AC136G3 II AE HPe with R134a 

gas (maximum power of 26 kW in cooling 

mode and 18 kW in heating mode), and the 

CO2-based Valeo (31 and 33 kW respectively). 

Both systems guarantee heating via a 

heat pump, to which is added a wall-mounted 

convector circuit with three 10 kW HV 

heaters and, on request, an auxiliary Spheros 

38 

39


Thermo diesel or biodiesel 30 kW burner. 

Temperature management is automatic, 

based on the control unit settings and, possibly, 

on the outside temperature; in this regard, 

MAN prepares as many as four programs to 

choose from, which take into account the difference 

between exterior and interior, as well 

as consumption optimization. The driver’s 

seat can count on a separate Aurora frontbox 

with 7.3 kW in cooling mode and 19.0 kW in 

heating mode. 

The 24-volt electrical system, constantly 

powered by a DC/DC converter, is the 

traditional Continental Kibes 32 multiplex, 

equipped with an advanced undervoltage 

protection system. Below it we find all 

the traditional users of ICE buses (among 

which we recall the internal indirect light 

LED lighting with four levels of intensity), 

plus the EHS electric pump intended for 

the Bosch-ZF 8098 power steering. 

The doors can have internal rototranslation 

system (pneumatically or electrically activated), 

or with pneumatic ejection or electric 

‘sliding’. 

The passenger compartment, given the 

small wheelbase dimensions, does not allow 

major changes in the arrangement of 

seats, with the need to mount a two-seater 

in the entire rear half of the vehicle. Seats 

and handrails, however, do not provide for 

anchoring to the floor, which in this way has 

a free surface that is easy to clean. 

The driver’s seat is the one already seen on 

the other Lion’s City buses, maintaining 

rather high standards in terms of ergonomics 

and visibility, with a well-developed 

dashboard equipped with integral adjustment 

to the steering wheel (+10°/-10°) and 

numerous variants of lateral separation, 

possibly suitable for the sale of travel tickets 

on board. 

Driving like a car 

The 10E is fun to drive, thanks to really 

good handling and a fairly contained body 

roll (which is more evident when empty), 

The 10E features good 

handling and a fairly 

contained body roll (more 

evident when empty), 

despite the fact that there 

are almost 3 tons on the 

roof (including batteries, 

their air conditioning 

system and internal 

climate control). Traction 

management can be set to 

different acceleration levels, 

as well as to different 

energy recovery levels in 

the coasting phase. 

despite the fact that there are almost three 

tons on the roof (including batteries, their 

air conditioning system and internal climate 

control). Naturally, we must remember that 

a short wheelbase turns in less space but 

broadens the trajectory at the rear, forcing 

the driver to stay further away from external 

obstacles when steering from stationary or 

moving slowly. Traction management can 

be set to different acceleration levels, as well 

as to different energy recovery levels in the 

coasting phase. Therefore, the final customer 

has the possibility of acting similarly to 

a diesel bus (with a slight braking moment 

when coasting), an increased regenerative 

capacity (through a greater deceleration) or 

‘soaring’ similar to the vehicle idling (eliminating 

the braking effect as long as you operate 

the pedal or the slowdown lever to the 

right of the steering wheel). 

A vehicle with a modern design and an excellent 

finish, with some flaws in the set-up 

in certain extreme conditions. But in the 

end, it is still a city bus and in typical driving 

conditions, comfort is guaranteed. 

40 

41


MCV C127 EV 

THE ELECTRIC PYRAMID 

The curtain rises on the new e-bus 

made in Egypt but designed for the 

German market. A 12-meter with 

NMC batteries (on the roof) by Forsee 

Power, Actia motor and ZF axles 

The Egyptian MCV group chose the Elek- 

Bu fair for the debut of an electric model 

specifically intended for the German market. 

The brand is well known. MCV, as a 

coachbuilder, is a partner of a manufacturer such as 

Volvo as regards the British market, where it supplies 

electric city buses based on the Volvo BZL 

chassis. And from 2024 on, it’ll be building Volvo 

e-buses for the whole Europe, according to the deal 

announced in mid April. 

The first electric bus, intended for use in the domestic 

market, was built in 2022 and a first batch of 

over 100 e-buses is in circulation between Alexandria 

and Cairo. 

The subsidiary MCV Germany is a recent ‘creature’, 

the result of a real bet on the German market. 

A market that the group aims to attack with the 

12-meter bus shown for the first time in Berlin. 

The production is ‘made in Egypt’ (the Alexandria 

- Antwerp shipment takes two weeks), but the 

components are 100 percent European (and in full 

compliance with VDV guidelines, ça va sans dire, 

including VDV 238 on data). We will talk more 

about it shortly. 

42 

C127 EV model, in detail 

3.20 meters high, the MCV C127 EV has all the 

high voltage components ‘drowned’ in the roof. 

The batteries, signed by Forsee Power, are placed 

there. What about chemistry? NMC, the most 

widespread standard at European level, although 

threatened, in recent times, by a revival of LFP, 

also for economic reasons. Moreover, we know the 

BloombergNEF figure, which quantified the average 

trend in the price of battery modules as +7 

percent in 2022 compared to the previous year. The 

first annual growth since 2010. 

We were saying, the French-made battery packs can 

The battery packs - by Forsee 

Power - , are ‘drowned’ 

in the roof, and can offer 

a maximum of 462 kWh 

on the e-bus, with the 

possibility of the following 

intermediate choices: 308 

and 385 kWh. 

43


The central electric 

motor, synchronous with 

permanent magnets, is 

made by Actia and has 

maximum power and 

torque of 250 kW and 

3,000 Nm respectively. 

It intervenes directly 

on the rear portal axle, 

signed by ZF (as well as 

the front). 

There is room on board 

for up to 90 people on 

the three-doors version: 

37 of them are seated. 

offer a maximum of 462 kWh, with the 

possibility of the following intermediate 

choices: 308 and 385 kWh. The central 

electric motor, synchronous with permanent 

magnets, is made by Actia and has 

maximum power and torque of 250 kW 

and 3,000 Nm respectively. It intervenes 

directly on the rear portal axle, signed by 

ZF (as well as the front). 

And what about design? 

Speaking of design, the MCV C127 EV 

focused on achieving an attractive aesthetic. 

The structure is made of stainless 

steel. The sides with large glazed surfaces 

are finished upwards by a continuous line 

that finishes the roof and features a clearly 

visible LED lighting stripe, that visibly 

flexes at the central door, with the aim 

of giving dynamism to the vehicle lines. 

Inside, the lighting is obtained indirectly, 

always under the banner of LEDs. The 

airiness of the rear seaters row is good, 

undermined only by the not excessive size 

of the former engine tower. The doors are 

IDENTITY CARD 


Width mm 2,550 

Height mm 3,200 

Wheelbase mm 5,900 

Overhang front/rear mm 2,755/3,420 

Doors width mm 1,200 / 1,200 / 1,140 

Entrance height mm 320 

Turning radius mm 21,126 

Motor supplier 

Actia 

Motore type 

Central synchronous with permanent magnets 

Output peak kW 250 

Torque peak Nm 3,000 


Forsee Power 

Battery formula 

NMC 

Battery capacity kWh 308 / 385 / 462 

Front axle 

ZF RL 82 EC 

Rear axle ZF AV 133 

Tyres 

275/70R22.5 - 295/70R22.5 

Empty weight (with 462 kWh) kg 13,600 

GVW 19,700 

made by Ventura Systems. There is room 

on board for up to 90 people on the threedoors 

version, 37 of them are seated. 

Instead of the rear-view mirrors we find 

mirror cams by Orlaco, which guarantee 

greater visibility. 

The charging socket can be placed on the 

right side of the front or on the left side of 

the rear. The standard charging technology 

is plug-in, but it is possible to equip the 

vehicle with a pantograph charging system. 

The heating is full electric, thanks to 

the use of a CO2 heat pump. Optionally, 

it is possible to mount 275 and 295 tyres, 

which indicates an orientation also aimed 

at intercity transport. 

44 

45


SETRA MULTICLASS 500 LE 

INTERSETRA 

300 kg lighter, 4 lengths available 

(including 3-axle version), new design, 

top safety: this and much more for the 

latest Setra intercity novelty. On which 

the mild hybrid module will land shortly 

Ten years after the launch of the 500 series, 

the renewed range of Setra MultiClass 

Low Entry finally makes its debut, now in 

four lengths. The reorganization of Daimler 

Buses products not only has not reduced the market 

segments covered by its models, but it has ensured 

that all versions are available for each size: from the 

low-floor urban bus to the normal-floor interurban 

bus and from the tourist coach to (in this case) the 

low-entry Class II bus. In short, the new MultiClass 

500 series, if on the one hand abandons the high-floor 

interurban segment forever in favor of the Mercedes- 

Benz Intouro, on the other it specializes in the type, 

which is slowly but constantly growing, of partially 

low-floor vehicles, where the advantage represented 

by the door sills at about 350 mm from the ground is 

well worth giving up a couple of seats. 

Don’t play with design! 

The front benefits from the aesthetic changes recently 

applied to the touring range, flaunting overall 

strict and rigorous lines, just as simplicity and cleanliness 

are exalted at the rear. The front headlights 

have a sort of LED eyebrow (interchangeable between 

right and left) that integrates clearance lights, 

daytime running lights and direction indicators. 

Further down, the fog lights are inserted in a black 

panel, which from next year will house the sensors 

for Predictive Brake Assist 2, an advanced driving 

assistance system capable of combining signals from 

short and long distances, distinguishing still objects 

from objects in motion, activating partial braking 

if necessary, in any case taking into account the 

well-being of standing passengers. 

A wide selection of doors is available, with the front 

one even in three sizes: two different widths for the 

single leaf (900 or 1,150 mm) or double leaf (1,380 

mm). The central door, on the other hand, can have 

The new MultiClass 500 

series abandons the highfloor 

interurban segment in 

favor of the Mercedes-Benz 

Intouro, while specializing 

in the growing market of 

LE vehicles, where the advantage 

represented by the 

door sills at 350 mm from 

the ground is well worth 

giving up a couple of seats. 

46 

47


The vehicles in the 

intermediate lengths 

can already be ordered 

(delivery starting autumn 

2024), for the 10-meter 

and the ‘extra-long’ 

version you have to wait a 

little more. The passenger 

capacities are interesting, 

from 39 to 63 seats in the 

configurations without a 

disabled seat. 

a single or double leaf. A third single door 

behind the rear axle is optional, with internal 

access via three steps. 

A modular structure 

The modular structure provides for the 

same overhangs for all the length variants 

(2,710 mm at the front and 3,300 mm at the 

rear), just as the position of the central door 

remains unchanged, always 1,540 mm in 

front of the drive axle. As anticipated, there 

are four bus lengths available: 10.51 meters 

(S 510 LE), 12.21 meters (S 515 LE) and 

12.92 meters (S 516 LE) for the two-axle 

versions and 14.52 meters (S 518 LE) for 

the three-axle version. The vehicles in the 

intermediate lengths can already be ordered 

(delivery starting autumn 2024), for 

the 10-meter and the ‘extra-long’ version 

you have to wait a little more. The passenger 

capacities are interesting, from 39 to 63 

seats in the configurations without a disabled 

seat. 

Still speaking about seats, different models 

are available on the MultiClass, depend- 

IDENTITY CARD 

Length mm 10,510 / 12,210 / 12,920 / 14,520 

Overhang front / rear mm 2,710 / 3,300 

Doors types 

single or double door 

Width doors 900 / 1,150 / 1,380 

Passenger capacity seated / tot n. 39 / 63 

Engine OM 936 / OM 470 

Displacement l 7.7 / 10.7 

Power output hp 299 / 354 / 394 

Transmission ZF Ecolife 2 / Voith NXT / Mercedes GO 190 / 

Mercedes GO 250 Powershift 

ing on whether you want homologation 

in Class I or Class II. It starts from the 

monocoque for urban use, to get to the 

classic fixed padded seat for short and medium-haul 

regular services, and it ends with 

the semi-tourist seat equipped with all the 

amenities to face longer journeys in full 

comfort. Following this principle, even the 

luggage racks (available on request in the 

lowered part only) can include lights and 

individual service sets. 

The driver’s seat also offers a wide selection, 

even just for the cockpit: from the City 

Cockpit (compliant with VDV requirements) 

to the Basic City Cockpit (more 

suitable for regular service), to the Basic 

Cockpit (more similar to that of the ComfortClass 

tourist range). Naturally, each of 

these allows for further customization possibilities 

in terms of number and position of 

the single commands. 

The rain sensor, the light sensor and the 

electronically controlled parking brake 

(standard) contribute to driving support as 

standard. The latter combines ease of use 

with safety: to engage the brake it is sufficient 

to operate the appropriate lever or ‘P’ 

button, while to release it you simply press 

the accelerator or press ‘P’ again, integrating 

the hill start assist function. Furthermore, 

it is possible to request that the brake 

be activated automatically when the driver 

releases the seat belt, while the vehicle is 

stationary. 

Safety on top: it’s a Setra! 

An advanced 360° view system is also optional, 

consisting of four cameras (two on 

the sides and two on the ends) and a 10’’ 

monitor mounted to the left of the windshield 

and divided into two parts: one shows 

the four sides of the bus, while the other 

switches automatically according to the 

direction taken or when reverse gear is engaged 

(or according to the driver’s choice). 

The device is normally active at speeds below 

30 km/h and is capable of taking images 

up to a distance of 5-6 meters from the 

vehicle, therefore more than an entire lane. 

The powertrain can count on tested components: 

the two-axle LEs are equipped with 

the very popular 7.7-litre OM 936 in-line 

six-cylinder engine, available in the two 

usual power ratings of 299 or 354 horsepower. 

The 518 variant (with three axles) 

mounts the 10.7-litre, 394 horsepower OM 

470 in-line six-cylinder engine. As with the 

Intouro, the 7.7-litre engine can be completed 

by the mild hybrid module, consisting of 

a 14 kW electric motor keyed between the 

engine and the gearbox, and two small 48V 

supercapacitors mounted on the roof. 

Four gearbox models are available, although 

not all of them can be combined 

with all bus models: the six-speed manual 

Mercedes GO 190 (only for the two axles), 

the six-speed automatic ZF Ecolife 2, the 

seven-speed automatic Voith NXT, or the 

eight-speed Mercedes GO 250 PowerShift 

automated mechanic gearbox. Combined 

with the latter is the latest version of the 

PPC (Predictive Powertrain Control), capable 

of adapting the gearshift program to the 

driver’s style and, above all, to the topog- 

raphy of the road. The predictive function 

integrates a vehicle localization system and 

a cartographic archive of all of Europe, so 

as to act not only in slope changes but also 

in the vicinity of crossroads, road entrances 

and residential areas. 

The axles remain the ZF RL82EC with independent 

suspension on the front and the 

hypoid-type Mercedes RO 440 on the rear, 

with numerous possible transmission ratios, 

ranging between i = 3.1 and i = 5.87, based 

on the chosen gearbox and the standard operating 

conditions. The third axle of the 518 

LE has independent wheels and provides 

for active steering control even in reverse. 

Finally, depending on the type of service 

required, 275/70 R 22.5 tires for urban use 

or 295/80 R 22.5 tires for extra-urban use 

can be fitted, which bring the height of the 

access sill to 314 mm and 355 mm respectively, 

excluding kneeling. 

Like the previous series, the new Setra MultiClass 

500 LE range is also manufactured 

at the Daimler Buses Hosdere plant near Istanbul, 

in the European part of Turkey. 

48 

49

PORTFOLIO 

ALL THE ELECTRIC BUS MODELS ON THE EUROPEAN MARKETS. 

BATTERY-ELECTRIC / HYBRID / FUEL CELL / IMC TROLLEYBUSES 

ADL 

BOLLORÉ 

Neocity EV 


Passenger capacity n. 65 

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 - 


+ safety 

+ uptime 

+ passenger flow 

Enviro400HR 

(plug-in hybrid) 

Length mm 10,500 / 10,900 


Electric motor / output kW BAE/195 

Battery type 

NMC 



kW 157 

Blueblus 12 



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 



Improve your bus with our Plug Sliding door. This carefully 

thought through system is all about improving passenger safety 

and maximizing uptime. 

It offers a completely free doorway that allows passengers to easily 

enter and exit the bus simultaneously, improving passenger flow 

and reducing dwell time. 

Explore the possibilities on venturasystems.com 

50 

Booth 6A154

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 

EBUSCO 

Ebusco 2.2 - 18m LF 



Motor / kW ZF / 250 

Battery type 

LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 363/525 


Ebusco 3.0 


Passenger n. 95 

Motor / kW Ebusco / 250 

Battery type 

LFP 



HESS 

YOUR POWER 

PARTNER, 

WHICHEVER 

ROUTE YOU TAKE 

Our planet faces a significant challenge as we recognise 

the realities of climate change. 

That’s why we’re taking action to progress the widest range 

of power technologies to fuel industry decarbonisation: 

• Advanced diesel 

• Hybrid 

• Natural gas 

• Hydrogen 

• Battery-electric 

Learn more. 

Enviro400EV 




Battery type 

BYD / LFP 



CAETANOBUS 

Ebusco 2.2 - 12m LE/LF 




Battery type 

LFP 

Battery capacity kWh 363/423/525 


Ebusco 2.2 - 12,9m LE 




Battery type 

LFP 



Ebusco 2.2 - 13.5 m LE 




Battery type 

LFP 



lighTram 19/25 DC 

Length mm 18,750 / 24,750 


Motor / kW TSA / - 

Battery type - 


Charging technology pantograph 

HEULIEZ 

52 

©2023 Cummins Inc.

PORTFOLIO 

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. 

K-CHARGER 

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 



C 

M 

Y 

CM 

CM 

MY 

MY 

Rail-Station 

GX 437 Elec 




Battery Forsee Power LTO/NMC 



HIGER 

Citymood 12e 



Motor / kW Siemens 1DB2016 / 230 

Battery type Akasol / NMC 

Battery capacity max. kWh 330 


IVECO BUS 

Crealis In-Motion-Charging 



Motor / kW - / 250 

Battery type 

LMP 


Charging technology IMC 

CY 

CY 

CMY 

CMY 

K 

< 5 Min. 

only 

Fast Charging 

Compatible 

Sustainable 

Do you need more power for your charging infrastructure? 

Into your railway overhead line with Kiepe’s “K-Charger”! 

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 



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 

● Charging infrastructure powered by railway overhead line 

● Less installation investment and improved operational performance 

● Unrestricted interface compatibility with all electric bus manufacturers 

● Seamless integration into any charging management software and SCADA system 

● Up to 6 charging points with 800kW each 

● Optional better battery for grid peak load staring 

Interested? Please contact us via e-mail: info.kiepe@knorr-bremse.com 

www.kiepe.knorr-bremse.com 

54

PORTFOLIO 

IRIZAR E-MOBILITY 



Novociti Volt 



Motor / kW TM4 Sumo MD / 255 

Battery type 

CATL / LFP 



KARSAN 



KING LONG 

CLOUD-BASED 

ADVANCED BATTERY ANALYTICS 

Maximize available battery capacity 

Prevent thermal runaway 

ie bus 10,8/12 

Length mm 10,850 / 12,160 


Motor / output kW Irizar / 180 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



ie bus 15/18 

Length mm 14,980 / 18,730 

Passenger capacity n. 105 / 155 

Motor / kW Irizar / 235 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



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 



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 

MAN 

Performance indicators 

Safety Indicators 

Predictive alarm log 

ISUZU 

56 

e-ATA 12 



Motor / kW ZF AxTrax / 250 

Battery type 

LFP 

Lion’s City E 12/18 

Length mm 12,185 / 18,060 


Motor / kW Traton / 270 - 540 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



www.powerup-technology.com

PORTFOLIO 





Diesel engine type/kW OM 936/300 

OTOKAR 

Motor / kW Dana TM4 / 245 

Battery type 

CATL / LFP 

Batt. capacity max kWh 242 to 424 


RAMPINI 

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 

e-Centro C 

Length mm 6,605 


Motor / kW Dana TM4 / 205 

Battery type 

Svolt / NMC 



Sixtron/Eltron/Hydron 

Length mm 6,110 / 8,000 / 8,000 

Passenger capacity n. 34 / 48 / 48 

Motor / kW Siemens - 122/235/235 

Battery type Rampini / LFP 

Batt. capacity max kWh 170/281/173 

Fuel cell module / kW no / no / 30 


btdsadv.com 

SAFRA 

eCitaro 12/18 

Length mm 12,135 / 18,125 

Passenger capacity n. 80* / 136* 


Battery type Akasol / NMC** 



*with max battery capacity 

**optionally available with Blue Solutions 

LMP batteries (max 441 kWh) 

e-Kent C 



Motor / kW Voith / 410 

Battery type Webasto / NMC 

Battery capacity kWh 210 - 280 - 350 


QUANTRON 

Hycity 


Passenger capacity n. +100 


Fuel cell module / kW Symbio / 45 

Battery Microvast / NMC / 130 kWh 

SCANIA 

Drive the 

58 

Citaro Hybrid 12/18 

Length mm 12,185 / 18,060 

Passenger n. 101 / 140 

Electric motor type - 

Cizaris 12 EV 


Passenger capacity n. 81 to 95 

road of change 

IVECO BUS is always by your side, with a complete range 

of innovative products and services covering the whole energy mix 

and all your missions. Let’s drive the change. Let’s do it together.

PORTFOLIO 



Citywide BEV 



Motor / kW PM / 300 

Battery type 

Lithium ion 


Charging tech. plug-in / pant. 

Citywide Hybrid 

Length mm 12,005 / 14,900 

Passenger seats max n. 37 / 49 

Electric motor output kW 150 

Diesel eng./hp Scania DC09/280-320 


Battery capacity kWh - 

SKODA 

Skoda E’City / H’city 



Motor / kW - / 160 



Fuel cell module / kW no / - 


Urbino electric 9 LE*/12 

Length mm 9,270 / 12,000 


Motor ZF AxTrax-TSA / 220-250-160 

Battery type 

LTO / NMC 



*can be homologated also in Class II 

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 electric 18/24 

Length mm 18,000 / 24,700 


Motor 

ZF AxTrax / TSA 

Battery type 

LTO / NMC 



Urbino hybrid 12/18 

Length mm 12,000 / 18,000 

Seated max n. 37 / 49 

Electric motor / kW central/120-200 

Diesel engine / hp Cummins / 120 

Battery type 

Supercap 

Battery capacity kWh 0.82 

Trollino 

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

Passenger seats max n. 39/53/69 

Motor / kW TSA-Skoda / 160-250 

Battery type 

Solaris LTO 

Battery capacity kWh 30-90 

Charging technologies Pant. / IMC 

TEMSA 

Join the defining sustainable mobility event 

The future starts here! 

● Meet all the big names of the sector, start-ups and new players from across the world. 

● Explore two halls filled with the latest vehicles, innovative products and solutions. 

● Take the opportunity to test out new products and get your questions answered. 

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT? 

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGTHS 

380 

Exhibitors 

15,000 

Exhibition visitors 

40,000 m² 

Exhibition space 

100 

Press/media 

representatives 

Sparkling 

E-Poster 

Start-Up Zone 

Sessions 

Spotlight Forum 

Innovation 

Sessions 

Guided Tours 

SOLARIS 

60 

Urbino 12 hydrogen 


Passenger seats max n. 37 


Fuel cell module 

Ballard 

Fuel cell module power kW 70 

Battery High Power / 30 kWh 

Hydrogen capacity kg 5 x 37,5 

Avenue Electron 



Motor / kW TM4 Sumo / 250 

Battery type 

NMC 



Local Partners 

REGISTER NOW AND JOIN US IN BARCELONA 

Register at 

www.uitpsummit.org

PORTFOLIO 



Fuel cell Ballard FC Velocity HD 100 


Hydrogen capacity l/kg 1,600 / 38.5 

62 

MD9 electriCITY 



Motor / kW 

TM4/250 

Battery type 

NMC 



VAN HOOL 

A330 Fuel Cell 6W 



Motor type 1/kW Siemens PEM2016/ 160 


Fuel cell Ballard FC Velocity HD 85 


Hydrogen capacity l/kg 1,600/ 38.5 

Fuel Cell 8W 



Motor / kW Siemens PEM2022/210 

Fuel cell Ballard FC Velocity HD 85 - 100 


Hydrogen capacity l/kg 1.600 / 38.5 

Exqui.City 18 Fuel Cell 





A309 diesel-hybrid 



Electric motor Siemens 1DB2016B06 


Actia 


Diesel engine/kW Cummins ISB 4,5/157 

Exqui.City18 diesel-hybrid 






Actia 


Diesel eng./kW Cummins ISB 6.7/209 

Exqui.City24 diesel-hybrid 



Electric motor / kW Siemens PEM/ 2x160 


Actia 

Battery capacity max kWh 2x24/36 

Diesel eng./kW Cummins ISB 6.7/209 

Exqui.City24 CNG-hybrid 



Electric motor/kW Siemens PEM/2x160 


Actia 


Engine / kW FPT CNG / 221 

Exqui.City18 Trolley 



Motor type/kW 2x Kiepe TSA TMF/160 

Battery type 

Kiepe 

Battery capacity max kWh 2x15 

Pantograph 

Kiepe 

Exqui.City24 Trolley 



Motor type/kW 2xKiepe TSA TMF/160 

Battery type 

Kiepe 

Battery capacity max kWh 2x20 

Pantograph 

Kiepe 

VDL 

Citea new gen. LF-122 / LE-122 


Passenger capacity n. 110 / 105 

Motor/kW ZF AxTrax / 250 

Battery type 

NMC 



Citea new gen. LE-135 / LE-149 

Length mm 13,500 / 14,900 



Battery type 

NMC 


Charging technology plug-in/pant.

PORTFOLIO 



Citea new gen. LE-181 




Battery type 

NMC 



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 


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 D5/24 

Citea SLF-120 Electric 







Citea SLE-120/129 Electric 

Length mm 12,000 / 12,900 






Citea LLE-99/115 Electric 

Length mm 9,950 / 11,500 






7900 Electric 



Motor / kW Volvo / 200 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



7900 Electric Articulated 

Length mm 18,000/ 18,700 


Motor / kW Volvo / 2 x 200 

Battery type 

Lithium-ion 

Battery capacity kWh 250/300 


7900 Hybrid 

Length mm 10,600/12,000 



Battery type 

Lithium-ion 



7900 Hybrid Articulated 

Length mm 18,000 / 18,700 



Battery type 

Lithium-ion 

APRIL 2023 

MAY 2023 

NOVEMBER 2023 

1° webinar 

EU policy framework & transition to 

zero emission COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 

2° webinar 

Electrification of public transport 

fleets in the Americas. 

Best practices | Targets | Challenges 

3° webinar 

End of public transport as we know it? 

On-demand transportation | autonomous 

driving | MaaS 


64 

Charging Oppcharge / CCS 


2023

PORTFOLIO 

SUPPLEMENT 

YUTONG 

StreetDeck Hydroliner FCEV 



Motor / kW 

Voith VEDS 

Fuel cell module 

Ballard 

Fuel cell module power kW - 

Battery Forsee Power / NMC 


Mobility, smart city 

Culture, technology and market of 

low and zero emission buses 

Established 1991 

Editor in chief 

Stefano Agnellini 

Managing editor 

Riccardo Schiavo 

Editorial staff 

Fabio Butturi, Ornella Cavalli, 

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Zero emission vehicles 

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66

2023-05 SUSTAINABLE BUS

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