2024-11 SUSTAINABLE BUS

Sustainable
US
VADO E TORNO EDIZIONI
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NOVEMBER 2024
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THE DRAGON’S
TAIL
OUTLOOKS
UK public transport
industry is ready
for a shake-up
SPOTLIGHT
MAN Lion’s City
E Low Entry and
Mercedes eCitaro K
FUEL CELL
Irizar H2 coach,
fuel cell city
buses compared

Sustainable
BUS
CONTENTS
SUSTAINABLE-BUS.COM NOVEMBER 2024
4
POST-IT
A discussion on the future of the
bus market took place in Strasbourg
btdsadv.com
14
24
6
8
10
12
14
TECHNO
E-bus sales in Germany, Italy, UK,
CATL e-coach battery, Impact invests
Irizar intercity e-bus at FIAA,
IIA new brand, JOST innovates bellows
Iveco expands e-bus production,
Karsan gets stronger in Spain, Tesla?
INFRASTRUCTURE
First Bus - Heliox deal in UK,
Siemens converts depots in the Nordics
INTERVIEW
Zemo partnership’s role and views on
the developments of UK bus market
18
22
OUTLOOKS
New UK budget is out: the potential
for a true industry shake-up
Sustainable Bus Awards 2025 are
a testament of the industry’s efforts
24
28
32
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Irizar i6S Efficient Hydrogen:
the first EU-made H2-powered coach
MAN Lion’s City 12 E Low Entry:
taking a role in suburban e-bus market
Mercedes eCitaro K:
short variant, big surprise (at IAA)
eDAILY Minibus
Free a new energy
40
36
40
50
TEST DRIVE
Yutong U18: a new generation of
city buses with European market in mind
COMPARISON
Caetano, Iveco Bus, Karsan, Solaris:
fuel cell city buses under examination
PORTFOLIO
All the zero-emission buses
on the European market
100% Connected & Assisted
- Advanced and smart assistance systems
- Tailor-made Repair & Maintenance offer
Sustainable & Energetic
- Zero emission and battery capacity
up to 111 kWh
- Optimised operational-costs
Versatile & Flexible
- Compact solution for short journey,
limited passenger capacity missions
Strong & Powerful
- Unique body-on-frame chassis
- 140 kW motor with Hi Power boost
and Eco mode
32
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FOR INFO
3

POST-IT
SUSTAINABLE BUS TOUR SESSION WAS HELD AT EUROPEAN MOBILITY EXPO
Europe transitioning
The second session of the Sustainable Bus Tour 2024 took place on
October 2nd in Strasbourg, during the European Mobility Expo show.
Entitled “On the way to a fully zero emission city bus market in 2035?
Technology | business case | market uptake”, the conference delved
into the rapidly evolving landscape of zero emission buses in Europe,
focusing on the pressing issues and future prospects of the city bus
segment, including charging powers’ handling and business model.
Opening of the conference has been made by Dario Dubolino, Policy
Officer at European Commission’s Directorate General for Mobility
and Transport: “When we look at the Green Deal, there is no scenario in
which we can achieve our climate objectives without a 90% reduction
in all transport emissions, including public transport”. “Public transport
delivers unmatched benefits but yet we continuously have to prove its
value”, added Thomas Avanzata, Spokesperson of the European Union
Committee at UITP. The session saw the participation of public transport
operators such as Transdev and Keolis, plus industry players as Iveco
Bus, ZF, Irizar e-mobility. Also the French organization for hydrogen was
represented, as well as consulting firm RaboResearch.
See replay!
BENEFITS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, AND WAYS TO THE DECARBONIZATION
Lowering emissions from transport, including
transit, is paramount to achieve the European climate
goal of 90% emission reduction.
COMFORT
THAT LASTS,
STRENGTH
THAT LEADS
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TECNHO
GERMANY, FRANCE, ITALY: ELECTRIC BUS TRENDS 2024
Market monitoring
E-BUS REGISTRATIONS GREW 19% IN GERMANY, 70% IN ITALY, 30% IN UK
Blade Battery
353 e-buses were registered were registered in Germany
in the first half of the year, surpassing the 297 registered in the
same period in 2023. Growth rate? +19 percent. These figures
were reported by German trade media omnibus.news and are
based on statistics by KBA. In the whole 2023 German bus and
coach market grew 12.5% in and had 753 new electric buses over
8 ton registered (+20% on the 632 units registered in 2022, while
in 2021 it was 555). MAN, Mercedes and Ebusco were on the
podium in 2023.
In the January-June period 2024 Daimler Buses took the lead
with 166 new eCitaro registrations. MAN maintained second
place with 50 new registrations, slightly down from 63 in the
same period last year. VDL held third place with 46 buses, while
Solaris is leading the hydrogen bus sector with 22 new FCEV
registrations in the country.
Germany is now the second-largest market for electric buses in
Europe, behind France, that had 424 new registrations in the first
half of the year, although this figure marks a 16.4% decline from
2023. Market leaders? 80 percent of the newly-registered e-buses
comes from Iveco Bus, Bluebus and Mercedes-Benz (332 units,
198 of those are Iveco Bus E-Way).
The UK also made an impressive leap with 872 new electric
buses, a 29% increase from the previous year, according to
industry association ACEA.
Notable developments are in place in Italy, that had 499 BEV
buses registered in the period from January to September: +70%
on the first three quarter of 2023 (294 units registered).
Electric buses are now covering 28% of the city bus market in
Italy. Top sellers? Iveco Bus with 111 e-buses (stark increase
compared to 14 in 2023), Solaris (89 units, +43%), Karsan (81
e-buses, + 350%). On the other hand, volumes of tenders look
on a decreasing trend in Europe, with Iveco Bus for instance
detecting a 25% drop in the last 12 months.
WITH E-COACHES IN MIND
Global leader battery supplier
CATL chose IAA Transportation
2024 in Hannover to launch the
Tectrans battery system. The
new range includes a specific
bus-dedicated product (Tectrans
Bus Edition) headed to the
long-distance e-bus market and
featuring an energy density of
175Wh/kg.
The battery model is said to
employ high-energy,
high-press
density cathode
design at the
micro level, significantly improving
energy density, while a
U-shaped seal and a zero-draft
angle structural innovation result
in a 22% increase in volumetric
energy density compared with
the previous generation. The
electrolyte features an additive
molecular design and precise
film-forming capability. Its “advanced
thermal management
reduces internal
temperature disparity
by 50%”,
CATL says.
The UK also made an impressive leap
with 872 new electric buses, a 29% increase
from the previous year, according to
industry association ACEA.
Happens at GigafactoryX
Polish battery systems maker Impact
Clean Power Technology has launched what the
company claims being “Europe’s most modern,
highly automated” lithium-ion battery production
line. The new line, designed and manufactured
by Teamtechnik, will allow the company to
increase its generating capacity from 0.6 to 1.2
GWh in 2024, and ultimately to up to 4 GWh.
Up to now, the company has supplied the market
with 12,000 battery packs
for 4,200 e-buses. Among
the key partner of Impact
there’s Solaris.
With its launch,
Impact has completed
the investment in its
new headquarters,
GigafactoryX, which, in
addition to production,
houses the company’s key functions such as
R&D, test laboratory and warehouse. All in the
city of Pruszków, near Warsaw.
The new highly automated production line will
increase Impact’s production capacity from
2,500 to at least 16,000 lithium-ion batteries per
year. A complete battery system dedicated to
heavy transport will be made every 11 minutes,
the supplier states.
in Chassis
Redefine e-Bus
safety technology
600 km
500 kWh
105
range with one
battery capacity
passengers
charge
6

TECNHO
IRIZAR LAUNCHES I3 ELECTRIC MODEL
Intercity e-bus offer grows
THE LOW ENTRY BUS PRESENTED AT FIAA
8
Irizar has launched the new i3 intercity e-bus model at FIAA in
Madrid, held on 22-25 October. The new vehicle marks the debut
of Irizar in the (nascent) intercity electric bus market: 12.75-meter
long and 3.55-meter high, it offers room for up to 45 seated
passengers, up to 40 standing. A synchronous central motor powers
the bus (peak power: 325 kW), while battery capacity is up to 528
kWh.
The bodywork of the new electric Irizar i3 is available in an
integral self-supporting configuration and with different electric
chassis.
The new Class II electric low entry Irizar i3 features a renewed
design and marks the first step in the development of a range
of vehicles with a new generation of lighter, more comfortable
integral Irizar chassis with up to 50% lower consumption. The
model also has improved cockpit with a redesigned dashboard.
Thanks to the use of lighter and stronger components, it has been
possible to reduce its weight by 1,000 kg. It provides more than
400 km on a single charge per day, according to Irizar.
The vehicle meets the highest standards of safety in the framework
of the new GSR2 regulations by including advanced components,
like cameras and radar, to ensure driver and passenger safety,
complying with the R155 and R156 European regulations for
cybersecurity management systems and vehicle software updates.
The Irizar i3 model is also still available with a diesel, biodiesel,
HVO, hybrid or gas engine.
The company is working on new electric platforms also for the city
bus market, where Irizar e-mobility provides two models: the ie
bus and the ie tram. The European Union has set in 2023 ambitious
targets for reducing CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.
While city buses will have to be 90% zero emission in 2030 and
100% zero emission in 2035, intercity buses fall into the same
category as coaches and trucks. By 2030, new registrations must
achieve a 45% reduction in emissions, with targets escalating to
65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040.
MENARINI IS BACK
New owner of Industria Italiana
Autobus, Seri Industrial, has
announced on the 16th of October
a change in the company name
of its subsidiary, that becomes
Menarini. Which is the name of
the bus bodybuilder (founded in
1919) that originated the history of
the company that in 2011 became
IIA. What was still unclear at the
moment of sending this issue to
print, is the role
that a unspecified
“Chinese partner”
will play in the
reorganization of the company,
that in July 2024 was taken over
by the above-mentioned Seri
Industrial Group, that acquired a
98% stake in IIA. Until then the
company was owned by state
companies Invitalia (43%) and
Leonardo (29%), while Karsan
had 28%. A remaining 2% stake
is still held by Invitalia, with the
goal of safeguarding the public
interest in this
crucial sector
of the Italian
economy.
Irizar e-mobility celebrated its 1,000th e-bus
in September, 8 years after foundation of the
company. Its dedicated facility in
Aduna (Spain) was opened in 2018.
Focus on bus articulation
From São Paulo, Brazil, to European cities, in
a ten-years time. In 2016 Jost was chosen as partner
from OEM Mercedes-Benz do Brasil in order to
design a bus articulation as a welded construction.
It was the beginning of the journey that brought the
supplier to showcasing its BusLink bus articulation
series at Busworld in 2023, after commercialization
in Brazil in 2022. The European customized project
focused on lightweight and customization capabilities
with goal of providing a complete articulated bus
system with bellows and energy management.
The Articulation Control Unit (ACU) is a core
element, controlling two hydraulic proportional
damper cylinders and preventing the vehicle from
buckling and swerving under challenging road
conditions. The special feature of the Jost articulated
turntable controller is the individual parameterisation
of the input and output variables according to the
requirements of the bus manufacturer.
The European BusLink is produced in Poland. The
start of production and delivery will kick off with a
European bus OEM (not yet specified) in 2026.
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TECNHO
IVECO BUS IS PRODUCING E-BUSES ALSO IN ANNONAY
Doubling e-bus hubs
ALSO THE E-WAY H2 WILL BE MADE IN THE NEW LINES
10
Iveco Bus starts manufacturing of e-buses also in its main
French plant of Annonay, in addition to the Heuliez Bus facility in
Rorthais that has been so far the ‘hub’ for e-bus manufacturing within
the Iveco Group.
The manufacturer also has an ongoing investment plan of 600 million
euros in the coming years, as already announced during Iveco Group’s
Capital Markets Day in March. The majority will be dedicated to the
development of a new zero-emission vehicle platform for the urban
and intercity segments in Europe, capitalizing on existing plants and
the R&D center in France.
According to the updated CO2 reduction target approved by EU,
by 2030, 90% of new urban buses will need to be zero-emission,
a challenge requiring significant industrial investments for
manufacturers. To achieve this, Iveco Bus has decided to electrify its
French historic plant in Annonay this year, to integrate the production
of the Heuliez GX Elec and Iveco E-Way electric models into its
assembly lines, which until now had only been handled by the
Rorthais site, also located in France.
The lines will also accommodate the production of the new E-Way
H2 fuel cell models. Additionally, a unit dedicated to the assembly of
latest-generation electric batteries has also been introduced on the site,
Iveco Bus underlines.
During a conference at Eumo in Strasbourg, Domenico Nucera,
President of Iveco Bus and 2024 President of the Bus and Coach
division of ACEA, highlighted that “Maintaining competitive
production in Europe is a challenge but also an opportunity for
reindustrialization”.
While manufacturers’ efforts are essential, the success of this industrial
revolution will require the mobilization of all stakeholders, Iveco Bus
strenghtens: “Financial support from the States and the European
Union will be crucial for this transformation, along with enhanced
cooperation with public transport operators”.
Iveco Bus has decided to electrify its French
historic plant in Annonay this year, to integrate
the production of the Heuliez GX Elec and Iveco
E-Way electric models into its assembly lines.
TESLA BUSES?
What about Tesla hitting the market with an electric
bus model? In recent years, news have sometimes
been circulating with regards to the possibility that
Tesla might include buses in its portfolio. Or to
cooperate with other companies in the market of
zero emission buses. If it is true that Elon Musk
has excluded the production of a real regular size
bus, the door has remained open for a vehicle with
10 or 12 seats. A minibus or van could result more
suitable to Musk long-term vision.
And now, in October 2024 he presented the Tesla
Robovan, able to carry up to 20 passengers and
autonomously-driven. The Verge website also notes
that in Tesla Master Plan Part 3, the company lists
“bus” and “commercial/passenger vans” as “TBD.”
STRONGER IN SPAIN
Karsan took the opportunity of FIAA 2024
in Madrid to announce a new organizational
structure and strategic goals for the Spanish market.
The company is preparing to operate under its
own umbrella by acquiring 100% of its Spanish
representative, E-buskar (previously independently
owned and acting as dealer for Karsan in the Spanish
market). The manufacturer aims to build a more robust
structure in sales and after-sales services and expand
its dealer network through strategic partnerships. As
part of its new organizational strategy, Karsan plans
to manage its operations across the country through
regional offices
dividing Spain into
four key regions.
Discussions
are ongoing to
achieve the goal
of establishing 27
different service
points.
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INFRASTRUCTURE
FIRST BUS - HELIOX PARTNERSHIP ON FURTHER 5 SITES
Transitioning depots
190 E-BUSES WILL BE CHARGED SIMULTANEOUSLY
Heliox and First Bus are collaborating on five new electric bus
charging depots in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare, Minehead, Taunton, and
Basildon, in the UK, thanks to an £89 million investment from First Bus
and supported by the UK Government’s ZEBRA 2 funding programme.
They’ll have a combined capacity to charge over 190 vehicles
simultaneously.
On a broader base, the operator is investing £89 million to expand electric
fleet across the UK (with 178 new electric buses deployed across four
regions) and aims to expand its charging network to 14 depots with more
than 800 electric buses by 2025.
The announcement builds on the partnership between Heliox and First
Bus, unveiling the UK’s largest electric bus depot (capable of charging
178 vehicles simultaneously) in Glasgow in 2021.
Since then, the two companies have continued to work together to
deliver a network of nine operational electric bus charging depots across
Scotland and England, including some first-of-its-kind case such as
the Summercourt depot, providing direct access for the public to rapid
charging infrastructure for electric cars and vans.
FEEDING H2 BUSES
Daimler Buses and H2 Mobility Germany are cooperating
in the expansion of the hydrogen tank infrastructure for
transportation companies. From now on, Daimler will in
fact be brokering the range of hydrogen tank services
of H2 Mobility Germany as part of a holistic consulting
approach.
H2 Mobility Germany is building hydrogen filling stations
in the direct vicinity of transportation companies. In
addition, an H2 dispenser can be installed directly at these
companies’ own depot. Before the end of the year, the
H2 Mobility station network will offer buses and trucks the
option of refueling at 350 bar at more than 50 locations.
“Daimler Buses customers therefore benefit from the
services of an experienced provider who ensures
operation and a continuous supply of hydrogen. At the
same time, the public H2 tank infrastructure will be
strengthened and further expanded”, Daimler Buses
points out.
Come and discover
our urban, intercity and tourism vehicles
e-KENT C
10.9 m, 12 m and 18 m
Electric
Up to 146 passengers
e-TERRITO U
13 m
Electric
Up to 63 passengers
NAVIGO
7.80 m, 8.47 and 9.20 m
Compatible with HVO/XTL
Up to 41 passengers
12
NORDIC DEPOTS GO SMART
Siemens Smart Infrastructure has
been awarded its first order in the
Scandinavian market: it’ll provide
Unibuss, one of the leading bus
operators in the Oslo region (with 259
e-buses in operation), the Depot360
solution, which ensures optimized fleet
operations and charging infrastructure,
at two separate depots.
Siemens highlights that Depot360’s
smart charging capabilities are able to
ensure that the right amount of energy
is delivered to the vehicles without
exceeding the capacity of the network,
while enabling remote monitoring of
the buses’ charging status. Depot360
is part of Siemens Xcelerator, an open
digital enterprise platform enabling
customers to manage the digital
transformation.
Also, Depot360 AI Platform, provides
that Siemens’ expert team at its 24/7
Network Operations Center (NOC)
continuously leverages algorithms
to monitor and manage the charging
infrastructure’s performance. This
allows for the identification and
resolution of issues based on datadriven
decisions. Load shifting and
peak shaving features are expect to
enable further energy cost reductions
for Unibuss.
www.otokareurope.com
From 3 to 6 December in Lyon
Hall 5 - Stand 14

INTERVIEW
14
In the UK, Zemo Partnership
has the aim of accelerating
the transition of road
transport to zero emissions.
As an independent organisation,
Zemo supports
policy development and
helps industry navigate the
challenges of decarbonisation.
The organization
is also responsible for
managing the UK’s definition
of a zero emission bus
– an important distinction
for operators to access UK
government funding.
A CONVERSATION WITH ZEMO PARTNERSHIP’S TIM GRIFFEN
CERTIFYING THE
TRANSITION
Zemo Partnership defines and manages the UK's
ZE bus accreditation. The UK is a leading country
in terms of zero emission bus volume: 10% of
the total fleet. What will come next?
The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership
(LowCVP) was set up
in 2003 to help accelerate the
transition to low carbon vehicles
and fuels, following the UK government’s
2002 Powering Future Vehicles
Strategy, the first concerted effort to cut
greenhouse gas emissions from the country’s
road transport sector. While the organisation
was fully government funded,
the LowCVP sought to bridge the gap between
government and industry. As such,
it involved key automotive sector players,
such as Toyota UK’s Managing Director
of the day, Graham Smith, who became
the original LowCVP Chair.
Today, and following a rebrand in 2021,
LowCVP has become Zemo Partnership,
comprising approximately 200 subscription-paying
members from a variety of
backgrounds. Within the bus and coach
sector, Zemo’s Bus Working Group consists
of bus manufacturers and operators,
design engineering companies, passenger
transport executives, local authorities, and
academics. This diverse spread of members
gives the organisation the opportunity
to bring together UK stakeholders from
across the sector to develop programmes
aimed at speeding the introduction of zero
emission vehicles. In the UK bus industry,
Zemo is most well-known for defining
and managing the UK’s ZE bus accreditation
that entitles ZE vehicle owners and
operators to government subsidy.
“A key aim for us is to achieve
well-to-wheel greenhouse
gas savings from buses
going onto the roads,”
says Zemo Partnership’s
Tim Griffen,
Programme Manager
for heavy vehicles, including
bus & coach.
“Importantly, we've
made sure vehicle certification
is attached to a
funding scheme to ensure
tax payers’ money is going
towards efficient vehicles. To
achieve this, we’ve brought together
industry and government to make ZE buses
as efficient as they can be.”
Zemo accreditation and funding
To gain ZE vehicle accreditation, Zemo’s
definition means no combustion engines
can be used on board, with no tailpipe
emissions. Zemo also stipulates that a
vehicle must achieve a 50% well-to-wheel
greenhouse gas saving compared to a
conventional Euro VI diesel over the UK
Bus Cycle. The iterative nature of certification,
which has been in place for over
10 years going back to low carbon buses,
has helped move industry forward regarding
technological development, most
notably the move away from diesel heaters
which were commonplace on early
generation zero emission buses.
The Bus Service Operators
Grant (BSOG) offers disproportionately
high level of
funding for diesel vehicles
compared to ZE buses, currently
sitting at 35p per litre
of diesel, compared to the
22p incentive per kilometre
travelled for ZE buses.
Linked to ZE bus accreditation, the Department
for Transport’s (DfT) Zero
Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA)
Scheme has so far awarded £269m to 17
UK areas to buy ZE-accredited buses.
Zemo has also developed a repower
accreditation scheme,
also entitling operators to
government subsidy, as
well as various guides
and workshops to help
stakeholders towards
the ZE transition.
“Huge progress has
been made in the UK
towards the transition,”
says Tim. “Around 10%
of the UK bus fleet is ZE
and, for the last three years,
50%-plus of all registrations
have been ZE. This has been driven by
government funding schemes which built
on the early leadership shown by Transport
for London in decarbonising the
capital’s bus fleet. In the next two years,
we expect the UK fleet to reach 20% ZE,
based on funding already allocated.”
Government funding needs
Although UK government subsidy has
been crucial, the approach continues to
create a less than predictable market. The
development of ZEBRA funding has seen
increasing competition between regional
transport authorities, with uncertainty
over how much funding will be available
and when. Subsequently, this has led to
peaks and troughs in manufacturing demand.
And for future ZEBRA funding,
currently there’s no message on its con-
«Around 10% of the UK bus fleet is ZE. For the last 3 years
50%-plus of all registrations have been ZE, driven by
government funding schemes which built on the early
leadership of TfL. In the next two years, we expect the UK fleet
to reach 20% ZE, based on funding already allocated»
15

INTERVIEW
«If BSOG funding for ZE vehicles was increased to around
30p per km, operators could plan the purchase cost against
a 15-20 year vehicle life in tandem with private finance, which
is queuing up to enter the market. The other challenge is that
the BSOG ZEB incentive doesn’t currently have an end date»
tinuation. All eyes are on the government
budget, which was announced on 30 October,
with ZE funding possibly linked to
the new UK government’s support for regional
franchised services (editor's take:
this interview was drafted before that
date).
The other main funding stream important
to the ZE transition is the Bus Service
Operators Grant (BSOG), where the DfT
subsidises local authorities and bus operators.
However, diesel vehicles continue
to receive a disproportionately high level
of funding compared to ZE buses, currently
sitting at 35p per litre of diesel, compared
to the 22p incentive per kilometre
travelled for ZE buses.
“To create a sustainable funding model
for the future, we see BSOG reform as
part of the solution,” says Tim. “If BSOG
funding for ZE vehicles was increased to
around 30p per kilometre, operators could
plan the purchase cost against a 15-20
year vehicle life in tandem with private
finance, which is queuing up to enter the
market. The other challenge is that the
BSOG ZEB incentive doesn’t currently
have an end date, so there’s uncertainty
over how long it will continue.”
ZE technology direction
As well as the continued need for assurance
on government funding, clarity is
also required regarding the non-ZE new
vehicle sale cut-off date.
“Following consultation in 2022, currently
buses fall into the general category for
all other combustion engine vehicles with
an end-of-sale date of 2040, but there’s
potential to legislate for an earlier date,”
says Tim. “Without clarity on the date,
this makes long-term planning challenging
for operators as well as manufacturers.”
Regarding the direction of ZE technology
favoured in the UK, Zemo Partnership
remains neutral, and instead presents evidence-based
research reports across various
viable alternatives. However, concerning
the bus sector, Tim says the UK
market has largely decided.
“There are just under 4,000 ZE buses in the
country, and just over 100 are hydrogen.
This is mainly down to the cost of the vehicles
and, more crucially, the supply cost of
hydrogen,” says Zemo’s bus programme
lead. “Hydrogen fuel cell technology was
ready to go 10 years ago, but questions remain
over hydrogen supply, which faces
many challenges, exacerbated by crises
such as the Ukraine war through to supply
depots achieving sign-off by the Health &
Safety Executive. Alternatively, questions
that have faced battery electric technology,
such as range requirements and battery
lifetime, are starting to be answered to a
point where operators are looking at this
technology as a solution for most of their
journey needs, while the hydrogen use
case becomes ever more niche.”
To achieve ZE status according to Zemo’s
criteria, and therefore receive government
subsidy, green hydrogen must be used,
which presents a further cost barrier. Although
UK hydrogen plants that exist
near large urban centres can be viable for
the sector, like Crawley near London’s
Gatwick airport, as well as Birmingham
and Aberdeen, Tim expects a 90%-plus
battery electric vehicle registration trend
to continue for the foreseeable future.
Challenges to electric bus
But despite the prevalence of electrically
powered vehicles so far in the UK,
the technology hasn’t overcome all of its
challenges, according to Tim.
“Probably the single biggest thing that
could hold back the transition to battery
electric buses is the time or cost to get a
grid connection,” says Tim. “Connection
time is a particular problem in large urban
areas, including London, where the wait
could be two years-plus, and extended distances
for connection could require more
expensive cable routing. Operators have
also faced waiting time competition from
other sectors clamouring for power. In the
UK, the transport sector and the energy
sector have traditionally been segregated,
but increasing cooperation is something
Zemo Partnership has worked on, and
“There are just under 4,000
ZE buses in the country,
and just over 100 are hydrogen.
This is mainly down to
the cost of the vehicles and,
more crucially, the supply
cost of hydrogen,” says Zemo’s
bus programme lead.
“Questions remain over
hydrogen supply".
created some disquiet from British manufacturers,
but this is ultimately a matter
for UK government,” says Tim.
Lifecycle analysis and realworld
bus operation
However, for Zemo, there’s
an opportunity to play an important,
and impartial, role.
Tim says: “We have British
manufacturer members as
well as international manufacturer
members, yet we
have one combined aim: to
accelerate the uptake of zero
emission buses and improve
bus efficiency. A future area
that we could provide imenergy
providers are starting to engage
more with operators.”
Considering ZE bus manufacturers, how
has Zemo’s accreditation impacted the
market?
“Most manufacturers, whether those from
the UK or internationally, can meet the
ZE accreditation and have been integral
to its iterative development over the last
decade. There’s been no interest from government
on where operators should use
subsidy to buy ZE vehicles, which has
Although UK government
subsidy has been
crucial, the approach
continues to create a
less than predictable
market. The development
of ZEBRA funding has
seen increasing competition
between regional
transport authorities,
with uncertainty over
how much funding will
be available and when.
Subsequently, this has
led to peaks and troughs
in manufacturing
demand. And for future
ZEBRA funding, currently
there’s no message
on its continuation.
«The biggest thing that could hold back the transition to BEV
buses is the time or cost to get a grid connection. In big cities
the wait could be 2 years-plus, and extended distances for
connection could require more expensive cable routing. Also,
other sectors are clamouring for power»
partial evidence on is lifecycle analysis,
including manufacturing emissions, so
we’re looking at how we might be able
to bring that further into ZE certification.”
Zemo is also investigating further vehicle
performance-related changes to ZE accreditation.
“We’re at a point where we’re increasingly
trying to replicate and integrate realworld
operating conditions,” says Tim.
“The way electric buses drive compared
to diesel buses, and the challenges they
face, are different, whether considering
aspects such as inclines, environmental
temperature, or acceleration, so we’re
looking at how we can integrate this and
attach it to funding.” Alex Byles
16
17

OUTLOOKS
The headline figure from
the UK government’s
budget announcement on
30 October is an injection
of £1bn to protect vital
bus routes and cap bus
fares in England outside
London. This figure comprises
£640 million to LTAs
to support and improve
bus services in FY2025/26,
and continuation of Bus
Service Operators Grant
(BSOG) payments in
FY2025/26 to £285m, made
to operators to offset fuel
and ZE energy costs.
HOW FAR CAN THE UK’S BUS SERVICE MODEL REFORM?
SHAKING THE
INDUSTRY UP?
In the UK, the new government’s Buses
Bill has the potential to achieve the most
significant industry shake-up since the sector
was privatised in the 1980s
The UK’s bus operation has the
potential for the most significant
change in a generation.
On 9 September, Transport
Minister Louise Haigh MP presented
the Buses Bill, giving all English local
transport authorities (LTAs) the power
to operate as a franchise. In effect, this
will enable LTAs to run their services
on the same basis as London, with freedom
over routes, frequency, operational
hours, and ticket pricing. Joining the
capital, Manchester adopted this model
in September 2023, and since then,
a handful of metropolitan areas have
also declared their intention. But with
the new government legislation, the
franchising option will now be open
to all LTAs outside London – while
the devolved administrations of Wales,
Scotland, and Northern Ireland manage
their own affairs separately. The Buses
Bill will likely be introduced by government
in Spring/Summer 2025.
Why this has happened is unsurprising;
almost uniquely in the world, since 1986
the UK has largely run its bus service
through privately-run operators. Continually
decreasing services with a diminishing
patronage has been widely blamed
on the privatised model. Accordingly, the
newly elected government formed by the
centre-left Labour party, the traditional
protector of state-run services, believes it
has the legitimacy to re-regulate. Moreover,
this approach has been welcomed
by bodies such as the Urban Transport
Group, the Campaign for Better Transport,
and the Confederation of Passenger
Transport (CPT), all of whom have welcomed
the principle of the Buses Bill.
The need for funding support
Franchising powers alone though are
not a panacea. As the model has operated
on a commercial basis since the mid-
1980s, with operators choosing which
routes and services to run, except for
the minority of routes subsidised by local
government, a meaningful service
improvement will, at least initially, require
state funding support.
The headline figure from the UK government’s
budget announcement on
30 October is an injection of £1bn to
protect vital bus routes and cap bus
fares in England outside London. This
figure comprises £640 million to LTAs
to support and improve bus services in
FY2025/26, and continuation of Bus
Service Operators Grant (BSOG) payments
in FY2025/26 to £285m, made
to operators to offset fuel and ZE energy
costs. Resolving uncertainty over
the subsidised maximum £2 fare limit
scheduled until the end of this year, the
government said it will invest £151m
to support a ticket price limit in England
throughout 2025, albeit raising the
maximum to £3 per ticket. In further
news welcomed by the bus sector, fuel
duty will continue to be frozen at 53p
per litre.
In addition, the government budget also
announced an extra £200m for City Region
Sustainable Transport Settlements
(CRSTS), bringing local transport
spending for Metro Mayors in 2025-26
Across England and Wales
outside of London, urban
bus services had dropped
by 48% and rural buses by
52% since 2008. Yet, bus
remains the most popular
form of public transport, responsible
for 3.7bn passenger
journeys per year.
to £1.3 billion. Up to now, the CRSTS
funding stream has been notable in
helping Manchester establish its Bee
Network franchised service.
However, the budget also introduced
new financial challenges relating to
increases all employers must pay in
contribution to National Insurance, the
UK's social security system.
Alison Edwards, Director of Policy and
External Relations at the CPT, says:
“The Chancellor’s increase in national
insurance contributions will weigh
heavily on bus and coach operators,
typically costing £800 a year for each
driver. This big tax rise will weaken
the ability of bus operators to invest
in higher frequencies, new routes and
modern, environmentally friendly vehicles.
And it will hurt coach operators,
many of which are small, family-owned
businesses.”
Improving the bus service
Despite the financial assistance that
the latest government budget will offer,
improving the wider bus network
to previous levels will be a major task.
In a report from November last year by
Dr Malcolm Morgan at the Institute for
Transport Studies, the findings were
that on average, across England and
Wales outside of London, urban bus
services had dropped by 48% and rural
buses by 52% since 2008. Yet at the
same time, bus remains the most popular
form of public transport in the UK,
responsible for 3.7bn passenger journeys
in the financial year end March
2023.
The scale of this challenge has been
recognised by the new government.
“Buses are the lifeblood of our communities,
but for too many people it has
become impossible to rely on local services,
as routes have been slashed and
timetables hollowed out,” said Trans-
18
19

OUTLOOKS
The ZEBRA Scheme has
been integral to the transition,
which could see
ZE buses comprising up
to 20% of the UK fleet
within 2 years. In October
the Department for Transport
reported that the
Transport Secretary will
announce plans to create a
new UK Bus Manufacturing
Expert Panel.
port Minister Louise Haigh MP on the
day of the Buses Bill announcement.
Clearly, the cost to redress the decline
in a meaningful way will be expensive.
Manchester’s Bee Network, for
example, has been significantly financed
as part of its £1.07bn CRSTS
award, though the network also covers
train, tram, roads, and cycle lanes for a
metropolitan area that includes around
2.9million people.
Support for the ZE transition
Has the latest government budget gone
far enough to support the sector? In
reaction, CPT’s Alison Edwards says:
“Collectively, the bus and coach sector
is vital in achieving the Government’s
missions of kickstarting economic
growth and breaking down barriers to
opportunity. However, contradictory
policies which, on the one hand, support
public transport and on the other
hand impose substantial extra costs, are
unhelpful.”
Meanwhile, the next opportunity for a
funding boost could come within the
detail of the Buses Bill implementation.
Improving bus service reliability, as
well as journey time and frequency,
will not only be integral to achieve the
long-term growth in patronage for the
economic sustainability of franchised
services, but encouraging the modal
shift from car
to bus will also
be important to
meet climate targets.
A report by
Lisa Hopkinson
at sustainable
transport consultancy
Transport
for Quality of
Life, says that
to meet carbon
targets, England
and Wales outside
of London
need to increase
bus passenger
kilometres by
120% by 2030
compared to
2019. A more
conservative estimate
by CPT
still says that bus
passenger km
needs to increase
by two-fifths (41%) by 2030 compared
to 2019 levels.
The Labour government has made important
environmental commitments
in its manifesto, including meeting the
UK’s internationally agreed target to
reduce carbon emissions by over twothirds
by 2030. While the government
has reinforced its pledge to phase out
new cars that rely solely on internal
combustion engines by 2030, and that
from 2035 all new cars and vans sold
in the UK will be zero emission, the
bus sector awaits confirmation on timing
to end the sale of non-ZE vehicles,
currently listed as the fall-back date of
2040. While this presents uncertainty
for manufacturers as well as operators,
the recent budget has not provided clarity
on whether the current ZE vehicle
subsidy will continue. Up to now, the
Department for Transport’s (DfT) Zero
Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZE-
BRA) Scheme has been integral to the
transition, which could see ZE buses
The bus sector awaits
confirmation on timing
to end the sale of non-ZE
vehicles, currently listed
as the fall-back date of
2040. While this presents
uncertainty, the recent
budget has not provided
clarity on whether the current
ZE vehicle subsidy
will continue.
turing programme, in October the Department
for Transport reported that
the Transport Secretary will announce
plans to create a new UK Bus Manucomprising
up to 20% of the total UK
fleet within the next two years from already
allocated funding.
In support of the UK’s bus manufac-
A report by Lisa Hopkinson
at sustainable transport
consultancy Transport
for Quality of Life,
says that to meet carbon
targets, England and
Wales outside of London
need to increase bus
passenger kilometres
by 120% by 2030 compared
to 2019. A more
conservative estimate by
CPT still says that bus
passenger km needs to
increase by two-fifths
(41%) by 2030 compared
to 2019 levels.
facturing Expert Panel. The department
says the panel will bring together industry
experts and local leaders to explore
ways to ensure the UK remains a
leader in bus manufacturing,
help local authorities
deliver on their transport
ambitions, and begin to
seize opportunities to
embrace zero emission
transport technologies.
Yet, how far the government
subsidy towards the
ZE transition will continue
also looks set to depend
on the implementation
of the Buses Bill.
Alex Byles
20
21

OUTLOOKS
22
THE WINNERS OF THE SUSTAINABLE BUS AWARDS
COMMITTED TO
SUSTAINABILITY
Solaris, MAN and Scania win the award that
acknowledges cutting-edge technologies
shaping the future of mobility. Solaris Urbino
12 Electric, MAN Lion’s City E LE and Scania
Touring LNG/LBG triumphed
And the winners are… Solaris,
MAN, and Scania! On the
evening of Monday, October
21st, at the inaugural gala of
the FIAA exhibition in Madrid, the
winners of the Sustainable Bus Awards
2025 were announced.
The jury’s evaluation considers how
new technologies make vehicles safer,
more efficient, more comfortable,
highly connected, and less polluting.
This meticulous selection and voting
process ensures that only the most
innovative and promising vehicles receive
recognition, underscoring the
industry’s commitment to progress and
sustainability.
This award stands indeed as a testament
to the dedicated efforts of the bus
industry in meeting emission reduction
targets, highlighting the commitment
of manufacturers to embrace sustainable
innovation and meet ambitious environmental
goals.
This year, the award, which includes
three distinct categories—Urban, Intercity,
and Coach—was claimed by
Solaris, MAN, and Scania, who emerged
victorious over tough competition.
In the Urban category, the Urbino 12
Electric triumphed over contenders
like Iveco Bus’ E-Way H2, Mercedes-
Benz’s eCitaro Fuel Cell, the VDL Citea
LF-181, and the B12 from BYD.
Moving to Class II, MAN’s Lion’s Intercity
LE edged out Otokar’s eTerrito,
the Scania-Castrosua LE BEV, Setra’s
MultiClass S516 LE and the Volvo
8900 Electric. In the Coach segment,
Scania received more votes than Yutong’s
electric T12 E, Isuzu’s compact
coach Novo Volt, and the double-decker
Volvo 9700 DD.
Featuring a jury that consists
of 10 European trade
outlets, SBY stands as a
testament to the efforts of
the bus industry in meeting
emission reduction targets,
highlighting the commitment
of manufacturers to
embrace sustainable innovation
and meet ambitious
environmental goals.
REASONS FOR WINNING
SBY 2025 Urban Winner: Solaris Urbino 12 Electric
In the Urban category, the Solaris Urbino 12 Electric takes the crown, marking
its dominance in the European e-bus market. Already the best-selling electric
bus acrossthe continent, Solaris has further elevated the model with a comprehensive
2024 update. The latest version of the Urbino 12 Electric features
increased flexibility, with multi-ple drivetrain options and optimized battery
capacity, thanks to the new High Energy packs. Notably, all major components
have been relocated to the roof, freeing up more interior space for passengers.
One of the key reasons for Solaris’ triumph lies in its drivetrain versatility. The
Polish OEM is the only bus manufacturer offering the choice of different types
of traction motors (in-wheel and central) on the same model. The flexibility extends
to the battery options, including High Energy NMC batteries with 102.9
kWh per module, LFP batteries for plug-in charging, and LTO batteries for rapid
charging via pantograph. This adaptability has set Solaris apart from itscompetitors,
securing its position at the forefront of sustainable urban transport”.
SBY 2025 Intercity Winner: MAN Lion’s City 12 E Low Entry
In the Intercity category, the MAN Lion’s City 12 E Low Entry has claimed the
Sustainable Bus Award 2025. This model responds to the growing demand for
lowentry buses in the European market, offering the perfect balance between
urban and intercity transport. Powered by a 160 kW synchronous electric inhouse
motor and equipped with a maximum battery capacity of 480 kWh, the
Lion’s City 12 E delivers outstanding performance and zero-emission operations,
making it an ideal choice for both city and regional routes. The bus’ connectivity
features, bolstered by the integration of the RIO platform, allow for
seamless communication and data management, ensuring that operators can
optimize performance and maintenance. Designed with the flexibility to serve
urban and interurban routes, this model underscores MAN’s commitment to
sustainability, more than 95% components are recyclable, while providing a
practical and adaptable solution for modern public transport needs.
SBY 2025 Coach Winner: Scania Touring LNG/LBG
In the Coach category, the Scania Touring LNG/LBG stands out for its innovative
use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as well as the ability of this vehicle to run
with Liquefied Biogas (LBG) as a sustainable fuel alternative. This long-distance
coach is equipped with Scania’s renowned gas-powered engine, which offers
excellent fuel efficiency while significantly reducing CO2 emissions compared to
traditional diesel models. The vehicle is paired with the 12-speed Scania Opticruise
transmission, known for its smooth gear transitions and driving comfort,
particularly on long-haul journeys. LNG/LBG is emerging as a key player in the
green energy transition, and Scania’s approach positions the Touring LNG/LBG
as a reliable, forward-thinking choice for operators. Furthermore, with certifications
like Crit’Air 1, the coach is well-suited to operate in low-emission zones
across Europe, including markets like France.
23

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
IRIZAR I6S EFFICIENT HYDROGEN
THE ALIEN
Irizar hydrogen coach was the star
of Busworld 2023. Now we have
seen it in action. The prototype
is type-approved, but a (very)
updated version is on the way.
Demo testing by the end of ‘25
It attracted a lot of attention at Busworld in October
2023, even though it was in fact nothing more
than a prototype (moreover, most of its technical
specifications are kept under strict secrecy. But in
the meanwhile it achieved homologation). After all, it
is the first case of a fuel cell coach model developed
by a European manufacturer. And an updated version
is under development, with demo testing scheduled to
begin by the end of 2025.
Our editorial team had the opportunity to learn more
about this model in Ormaiztegi during a presentation
held in July 2024.
The Irizar i6S Efficient Hydrogen was developed by
Irizar (or rather: it is still under development) to guarantee
performance comparable to diesel coaches in
terms of both passenger and luggage capacity.
Let’s take a small step back. The i6S Efficient range,
to which the hydrogen concept belongs, was launched
in 2022. Distinguishing features? 950 kg less kerb
weight (thanks in part to the use of composite materials),
a 30 per cent leap forward in terms of aerodynamics
(although the CX is not specified) enabled by
chisel work on the windscreen curvature. The Efficienct
coach family promise to cut fuel consumption
by 13 per cent.
From prototype to upgrading
The Efficient series is also characterized by new connectivity
technologies by Datik. At the time of launch,
Datik was part of the Irizar group, but in September
2024 passed under the umbrella of the Israeli tech
company Optibus. In any case, data and statistics on
vehicle usage are stored on the cloud to maximise
profitability, optimise route planning and minimise
maintenance costs.
Let’s talk about our hydrogen prototype (which is
homologated, Irizar emphasises). It has allegedly
achieved a range of almost 1,000 km on a single tank
It’s the first fuel cell coach
model developed by a
European manufacturer.
Our editorial team had the
opportunity to learn more
about this vehicle in Ormaiztegi,
Spain (Irizar HQ),
in July 2024.
24
25

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
THE ID CARD
Length mm 12,920
Width mm 2,550
Height mm 4,000
Front / rear overhang mm 2,690 / 3,410
Wheelbase mm 6,820
Passenger capacity n 55
Motor brand model -
Motor type
Central
Output peak / cont. kW 400 / 360
Torque peak / cont. Nm 2,000 / 1,360
Transmission
3-speed
Front axle
ZF RL82EC
Rear axle
ZF A133
Drive ratio 2.76
Steering
Electro-hydraulic
Fuel cell module supplier -
Fuel cell module output kW 2 x 100
Battery supplier -
Battery capacity kWh 60
Hydrogen capacity kg
56 (350 bar)
of fuel. The interior configuration includes
55 passenger seats, in addition to the driver
and hostess. In terms of performance, it is
equipped with an electric motor with a peak
power of 400 kW (360 kW continuous) and
a maximum torque of 2,000 Nm.
During low-speed driving, the fuel cell provides
power and the batteries idle. During
high-speed driving, for example on motorways,
the ‘relation’ between the two components
is reversed: the large part of power
comes from the batteries, which are constantly
kept charged by the fuel cell module.
The (few) technical specifications disclosed
by the group are those attributable to the rest
of the i6S Efficient range: here is the EBS3
braking system sourced from ZF (Wabco),
electro-hydraulic steering, independent
front suspension (ZF RL82EC axle) and the
ZF A133 at the rear. A configuration clearly
inherited from the i6S Efficient diesel range.
The prototype is equipped with a full range
of safety systems, including ABS, ASR,
AEBS, BFD, ECAS, TPMS, LDWS, ESC,
FCW, and advanced systems such as traffic
sign recognition, intelligent high beam control
and distance monitoring. A mirror cam
system is available on request. In addition,
Magic Eye technology monitors the driver’s
attention level by detecting microsleep, distractions
and mobile phone use.
The i6S Efficient Hydrogen is equipped
with a water heating system (convectors
and heat pump) and a brake resistor that
contributes to heating. The air conditioning
system is manufactured by subsidiary com-
The next generation model
will be equipped with a
150 kW fuel cell (marking
a reduction from the current
200 kW output made
possible by coupling two
100 kW fuel cells) and a 45
or 60 kWh battery module
for energy storage. Also,
the coach will be able to
store on board up to 86 kg
of hydrogen compressed
to 700 bar.
pany Hispacold and has been designed to
improve energy efficiency and reduce the
vehicle’s overall weight, with the eCo3 air
purification system available on request (it
is also sourced from sister company plants).
The prototype seen in Brussels, and which
we had the opportunity to test in Spain,
weighs around two tonnes more than the
diesel version.
Goals: less weight, more hydrogen
However, as mentioned at the beginning,
work is underway with the goal of launching
a new generation of this vehicle. The
aim is to reduce the weight difference to between
1 and 1.5 tonnes, thus ‘cutting’ more
than half a ton from the current tare weight.
The new platform will begin demo testing
by the end of 2025. Technical innovations
will include a three-speed transmission,
while the engine will be available in two
power versions: 260 or 380 kW.
The vehicle will be equipped with a single
150 kW fuel cell (marking a reduction
from the current 200 kW output made possible
by coupling two 100 kW fuel cells)
and a 45 or 60 kWh battery module for
temporary energy storage. Also, the coach
will be able to store on board up to 86 kg
of hydrogen compressed to 700 bar (for the
first time in the bus sector). This is a significant
step forward compared to the 56
kg carried on the version seen at Busworld
and tested in Spain. The main issue in the
design and redesign of the model concerns
the location of the batteries, which
today take up space in the luggage compartments.
Irizar engineers are working on
moving at least part of the modules close to
the wheel arches, so as to free up as much
space as possible in the central part of the
wheelbase.
When asked about this, Irizar management
stated that the development of the i6S Efficient
Hydrogen is entirely supported by
investment and resources from the Irizar
group, with no subsidies from European
projects or external partnerships.
26
27

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
MAN LION’S CITY E LE
SUBURBIA
The Lion’s City E LE is
MAN first step towards
offering electric traction
in the intercity segment.
The batteries will soon
be upgraded. Excellent
soundproofing work.
SBY 2025 winner
Almost a year after its presentation at
Busworld, we finally had the chance to try
out the MAN Lion’s City 12 E Low Entry at
the Coach Driving Experience organised in
the Austrian village of Saalfelden.
Derived from the low-floor electric model and redesigned
by the new engineering department in Ankara,
the MAN 12 E LE differs from the already familiar
city version in that the rear elevation takes the aisle
behind the central door to a height of around 800 mm,
which can be reached via two convenient steps positioned
immediately behind the central door. Therefore,
it is not a traditional Low Entry derived from a
Class II Normal Floor, but it is essentially an urban
bus whose seating capacity has been optimised, thinking
at the intercity applications. The Class II version is
indeed in the final homologation stage.
Class II type-approval is underway
The tested bus, which is homologated in Class I, was
fitted out very similarly to the intercity version, with
upholstered Kiel Lite seats (which have equipped
most of MAN’s intercity coaches for years) and
low-section luggage racks, precisely to show its
flexibility of use. In this version, there are forty-one
seats, almost all facing forwards, plus the platform
for wheelchair positioned in front of the central door.
Alternatively, the platform is on the opposite side, in
front of the exit. The number of standing places varies
according to the fittings and, above all, the number
of battery modules which, as on the urban model,
may range from a minimum of four (for 320 kWh
capacity) to a maximum of six (for a total of 480
kWh). On the tested vehicle, which is equipped with
the maximum amount of batteries, the total number
The Lion’s City E LE is
essentially an urban bus
whose seating capacity has
been optimised, thinking at
the intercity applications.
The Class II version is
indeed in the final homologation
stage.
of seats is sixty-nine.
The batteries are of the NMC type and assembled
in modules of 80 kWh each positioned transversally
on the roof. Each module has its own BMS system
capable of managing the equalisation of the state
of charge and thermal conditioning, which, for this
technology, ideally operates at around 25°C. Developments
already announced for the end of 2025
include battery modules of around 90 kWh with a
DoD of 90% (today it is 80%), thus increasing usable
energy by around 20%.
The drive is entrusted to a central motor developed by
the other company in the Traton group: Scania. It is a
permanent magnet synchronous model, with an internal
oil lubrication and cooling system. It has a maximum
continuous power of around 220 hp and a peak
of over 320, with a maximum torque of 2,100 Nm. At
the motor output there is a single reduction unit with a
ratio of 1:5.95, to which is added the reduction at the
differential of 1:5.12. The axle is the classic ZF AV133
28
29

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
WHAT ABOUT EMERGY EXITS?
inverted gantry. It is anchored to the chassis
with two pairs of overlapping arms. The
almost constant torque delivery of 1,300
Nm combined with smart acceleration management
(programmable to two predefined
values on request) makes driving pleasant
and progressive in any situation. Moreover,
the accelerator can already provide partial
energy recovery when the pedal is released,
with two different operating settings, both
with a view to optimising performance and
consumption.
The front axle is the well-known ZF
RL82EC independent-wheel axle. Thanks
also to the self-adaptive PCV shock absorbers,
it does a good job even without the
anti-roll bar. Logically, the weight distribution
on the roof affects cornering behaviour,
especially when travelling unladen, but
complete control of the vehicle is always
in place and the bus shows an almost total
absence of roll.
One of the quietest
Among the electric buses we tested, MAN’s
is also one of the quietest, thanks to the position
of the traction motor and auxiliary
devices, which are driven by independent
and adequately soundproofed motors and
pumps. There are almost no vibrations. Evidently,
this is the result of a well-designed
chassis and good quality assembly - a rather
common feature among the Lion’s buses. In
this regard, we recall that the fourth generation
of the Lion’s City is made by joining
ID CARD
Length mm 12,185
Width mm 2,550
Height mm 3,320
Wheelbase mm 6,005
Front overhang mm 2,775
Rear overhang mm 3,405
Internal height max mm 2,427
Distance entrance from ground mm 320
Width doors mm 1,200
Seats / passenger capacity n 41 / 69
Motor
Traton
Type / layout motor
Asynchronous / central
Output peak / cont. kW 240 / 160
Torque peak / cont. Nm 2,100 / 1,300
Battery supplier
Traton
Battery formula
NMC
Battery cooling
Liquid
Battery placement
6 modules on the roof
Total / usable capacity kWh 480 / 384
Charging power max plug-in 150
Front axle
ZF RL82EC
Rear axle
ZF AV133
Capacity front / rear axle kg 8,000 / 11,500
Tires 275/70 R22.5
Drive ration 5.12
HVAC
Valeo with heat pump
Cooling / heating power kW 38 / 38
together pre-welded structural panels made
from steel profiles and tubulars to which is
added a pre-assembled roof in aluminium
and plastic material. The resulting structure,
reinforced on the electric vehicles in the vicinity
of the end caps and wheel arches, is
protected against corrosion by cataphoresis
baths and complies with both ECE Regulation
R66 (rollover resistance) and Test A
of ECE Regulation R29 (frontal impact, the
so-called “pendulum” test). The covers are
made of plastic and aluminium (in addition
to the black glass parts on the sides) and are
designed for easy replacement.
Air conditioning in the passenger compartment
is provided by a Valeo central heat
The 4th generation of the
Lion’s City is made by
joining together pre-welded
structural panels made
from steel profiles and
tubulars to which is added
a pre-assembled roof in
aluminium and plastic
material. The resulting
structure, reinforced on
the electric vehicles in the
vicinity of the end caps
and wheel arches, is protected
against corrosion
by cataphoresis.
pump unit, using R744 (carbon dioxide)
gas, with an integrated high-voltage electric
motor-compressor. For this system, MAN
declares a maximum output of 38 kW in
both cooling and heating mode, although
this data is not reflected in the supplier’s
documentation. However, it is always
possible to choose an R134a gas air-conditioning
system, in this case supplied by
Eberspaecher. The air is diffused through
insulated ducts above the windows and louvers
directed towards the sides and centre
of the hall. The driver’s seat can also count
on an Aurora front box with a separate 7.3
kW evaporator equipped with an air quality
sensor and capable of automatically activating
recirculation or extraction from outside.
The heating of the passenger compartment
is obtained partly by the heat pump of the
roof unit and partly by three high-voltage
heaters that distribute water in traditional
wall-mounted convectors. If the service
is carried out in cold areas, in order not to
burden excessively consumption and consequently
range, a normal diesel or bio-diesel
auxiliary heater can be installed on request.
The standard equipment on the MAN urban
range is quite extensive: rain sensor, light
sensor, automatically adjustable indirect interior
lighting, reversing camera.
Other standard equipment on the test ve-
A question already arises: what about emergency
exits? As we know, UNECE regulation 107
prescribes that “Classes II, III and B vehicles shall
be fitted with escape hatches, in addition to
emergency doors and emergency windows”, an
escape hatch being an opening in the roof or
floor intended for use by passengers in the event
of danger only”. Such hatches, however, must not
be installed in positions that present a possible
risk to passengers, so they would be incompatible
with the batteries and high-voltage systems often
located on the roof. And so? Some manufacturers
take advantage of what is allowed in the Regulation
itself, where, for some cases, “the requirements
are fulfilled (omissis) if there is an additional
exit on each side of the vehicle in addition
to those specified in 7.6.1. above”. Others, such
as MAN, interpreting the regulation more strictly,
decide to make escape hatches in the floor, which
is still problematic. Actually, reading the full text,
the cases in which the exemptions apply are not
so clear and the national certifying bodies themselves
have different visions; European Union?
Little united, at least in this case...
hicle included OptiView (cameras in place
of wing mirrors), ESP, cruise control, EBA
emergency brake assistant, additional door
lights, ambient lighting with programmable
colouring, heated windscreen, electrically
adjustable driver blinds and twin USB
sockets type A and C. As part of the GSR2’s
equipment requirements, the Lion’s City
has entrusted MobilEye with blind spot
monitoring, obstacle detection and lane
change control, as well as traffic sign recognition.
Tyre pressure monitoring, on the other
hand, is by Continental, in keeping with
MAN tradition. The equipment is completed
by an LED indicator system and an infotainment
system with a 29-inch “stretch”
monitor inside.
The final price is expected to be in line with
the fully low-floor version, which is why,
in some markets, we expect to see it on the
road only in the Class II version. As of today,
the segment of electric intercity buses
is still to be invented.
30
31

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
MERCEDES ECITARO K
SMALL MOVE, BIG IMPACT
Among the few buses seen at IAA in
Hannover was the Mercedes eCitaro
K, the 10.63-metre electric version
of the German manufacturer’s
celebrated battery-powered city bus,
in its first official outing
This year, among the few buses on display at
the IAA in Hannover, there was the Mercedes
eCitaro K, the 10.63-metre version of the
German manufacturer’s electric city bus, in
its first official appearance.
Despite being announced only a few days earlier, the
eCitaro K aroused great interest.
The vehicle is derived directly from the 12-metre
model, from which a window ‘module’(and two rows
of seats) is essentially removed from the wheelbase,
leaving all other dimensions unchanged. As already
seen on the Citaro diesel and most competitor vehicles,
this makes it possible to retain almost all the
body components and intervene only on the central
part of the structure and a few other construction elements.
The structure (which is of the self-supporting
steel lattice type with an anti-corrosion cataphoresis
bath treatment) also retains all the safety features of
Daimler buses as per ECE regulations R66, R29 and
R93, relating respectively to rollover resistance, frontal
impact and front underrun protection.
Compactness is a virtue
The short wheelbase of around 4.4 metres significantly
facilitates manoeuvrability, with an external turning
circle diameter of 17.28 metres, which is particularly
suited to the winding roads of many city centres. The
overhangs, on the other hand, are the same as the traditional
Citaro. They are perfect to accommodate two
double doors (the one on the rear overhang is optional)
in addition to the central door, which is equipped for the
access of a non-ambulatory person. The platform for
parking the wheelchair is necessarily in front of door
two, on the left-hand side, with a backrest that can optionally
include one or more folding seats. In front of
door three, there is the so-called ‘cabinet’, which in the
ICE version houses the engine and cooling system, and
here accommodates two batteries and much of the trac-
The vehicle is derived
directly from the 12-metre
model, from which a
window ‘module’ (and
two rows of seats) is
essentially removed
from the wheelbase, that
becomes 4.4-meters long
(turning circle: 17m)
32
33

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
tion management equipment. The latter does
not need transmission shafts, as it can always
rely on the ZF AVE130 motorised axle. Via
its two motors splined into the wheel hubs,
the axle is capable of delivering 250 kW of
total maximum power and 970 Nm of torque
which, thanks to the reduction ratio, become
an impressive 22,000 at the wheels. The ZF
axle, with its integrated lubrication and cooling
system, optimises interior space and aisle
passage. At the front, the already well-known
ZF RL82EC independent-wheel axle is
equipped with a stabiliser bar and is designed
to absorb road bumps well, also thanks to
the adaptive hydraulic double-acting shock
absorbers. An electronic shock absorber
management system with infinitely variable
stiffness options can be fitted as an option,
similar to what is provided (as standard) on
the Setra touring range.
Under the bonnet
The batteries are distributed between the
rear compartment (two pieces) and the roof,
where the shorter length allows a maximum
of three battery modules to be accommodated
(compared to four in the 12-metre
model). The maximum overall capacity,
with the five third-generation NMC Akasol/
ID CARD
Length mm 10,633
Width mm 2,550
Height mm 3,400
Wheelbase mm 4,398
Front overhang mm 2,805
Rear overhang mm 3,430
Front axle load capacity kg 8,000
Rear axle load capacity kg 13,000
Turning circle mm 17,284
Distance entrance from ground mm 370
Doors n. 2
Passenger capacity max n. 84
Motor
ZF AxTrax
Motor type
2 x asynchronous 3-phase at
wheel hubs
Output peak kW 2 x 125
Torque peak Nm 2 x 970
Battery
BorgWarner (NMC)
Battery capacity max kWh 491
Tecnologia di carica
plug-in - CCS2
BorgWarner batteries of 98.3 kWh each, is
491.5 kWh, with a DoD of 80%. Moreover,
the fourth generation of NMC batteries was
already announced. They have a capacity of
over 110 kWh per module and the energy
actually usable is kept almost constant over
the years.
Charging in the depot can be performed via
CCS2 combo socket positioned above the
right front wheel and, on request, at the rear
left of the vehicle, with a maximum power
output of 150 kW. A pantograph arm or contact
bars for inverted (top-bottom) charging
opportunities can be requested.
The maximum capacity is 84 passengers
between seated and standing. Thus, it is
As standard, there is a
thermal management
system specifically for
electric buses, which
optimises consumption
and improves efficiency
by up to 40 per cent compared
to standard diesel
bus air conditioning.
Among the many options
dedicated to safety, we
find the new 360° overhead
vision system.
similar to the diesel version and perfectly in
line with competitors, since, on these sizes,
there is always saturation of areas and not of
masses. The standard seats are the City Star
Eco. They are made in-house by the Daimler
group and equipped with an upper grab
bar on which a number of vertical handrails
are connected. The seats can be customised
with or without velour upholstery, and the
colour of the handrails and floor are the customer’s
choice.
The driver can count on a full-height rear
partition and a side door with raised glazing
with or without holes for voice communication
and on-board ticket sales. The
seat is a choice of either the Grammer
MSG90.6 or the ISRI 6860, both of which
are air-suspended and feature numerous
additional adjustments. Air conditioning,
called EvoThermatik, is entrusted to
a Konvekta roof unit with R134a gas or,
optionally, to a CO2 heat pump. It is supplemented
by convectors and unit heaters
in the passenger compartment and a dedicated
front box in the driver’s seat with an
additional evaporator. As standard, there is
a thermal management system specifically
for electric buses, which optimises consumption
and improves efficiency by up
to 40 per cent compared to standard diesel
bus air conditioning.
Among the many options dedicated to
safety, we find the new 360° overhead vision
system, which is really useful in the
worst route and traffic conditions, as well
as for correct approach to stops. Added to
this is the Preventive Brake Assist 2, while
the other devices in the GSR2 package,
such as Sideguard Assist 2, Frontguard
Assist, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System,
Traffic Sign Assist and Attention Assist are
standard on all Daimler Buses. As an additional
driving aid, there is the temporary
speed limiter, which allows the driver to set
lower speeds than those prescribed by the
highway code, so as to negotiate traffic-restricted
zones without having to constantly
check the speedometer. Needless to say,
the perceived quality of the exterior and
interior assembly is high, as Mercedes has
accustomed us to over the years. And the
design too, with the upper fairing perfectly
integrated into the bodywork, makes this
new ten-metre bus balanced. So, we will
see how much space the eCitaro K will be
able to win for itself in a market segment
that is becoming more and more crowded.
34
35

TEST DRIVE
YUTONG U18
NEXT GENERATION EU
Bus generation update for Yutong: the
U-series will replace the E-series in the
European offering within a couple of
years. Arriva’s articulated bus went
into service in early 2024 in Italy
The Yutong U range was presented to the
public back in 2019, at Busworld in Brussels.
In between, there was a pandemic and
a five-year period that saw a sixfold increase
in the volume of e-buses circulating in Europe: 3,000
in 2019, 19,000 by 31 December 2023.
The first Yutong U-series buses are now on the road.
The range, marketed as customised for the European
market, is destined to replace the current E-series
(the protagonist in recent years of a boom in registrations
in the Nordic countries) within a couple of
years, according to what the Chinese group stated
at the Next Mobility Exhibition show 2024 in Milan
and reiterated during our visit to the Chinese plants
in mid-May. In the meantime, the two ‘families’ of
vehicles will be offered in parallel.
The drive axle is double
We intensively tested a Yutong U18 operated by Arriva
around Malpensa airport. Equipped with two ZF
AxTrax electrified axles, the Yutong U18 is capable
of delivering a power output of 500 kW (which is
obtained by multiplying the 125 kW guaranteed by
each wheel hub motor by four). These values are adequate
to transport the 120 passengers that can be
accommodated on board the vehicle at maximum
capacity. The battery is manufactured by CATL and
consists of sixteen 35.2 kWh modules, making a total
of 564 kWh, which places the articulated Yutong
bus in the medium-high end of the market. Each
module weighs 221 kg, giving a total battery mass
of 3.5 tonnes.
The gradual reduction in the battery size, for which
an energy density of 160 Wh/kg has been achieved,
now allows for a regular and flat headlining, to the
benefit of harmonious aesthetics.
Charging on Arriva’s vehicle is done via a CCS2
plug-in connector. At the rear, we find the battery
We intensively tested a Yutong
U18 operated by Arriva
around Malpensa airport.
There’s room for 41 seats
plus up to 79 standing passengers,
or 75 in the case
of a wheelchair, or 71 in the
case of two wheelchairs.
36
37

TEST DRIVE
DRIVING FEELINGS
cooling systems and Power Distribution
Unit, which are easily accessible under the
tailgate.
Aesthetically, despite the abundant use of
dark colours, the impression is that of a
light line, and this is confirmed in the interior,
where the large glass surfaces provide
good visibility even in traditionally darker
areas such as the central bellows. There’s
room for 41 seats plus up to 79 standing
passengers, or 75 in the case of a wheelchair,
or 71 in the case of two wheelchairs.
The floor is completely lowered and the
rear is occupied by a large glass area, which
is made possible by the roof arrangement
of the battery packs. A detail that helps to
achieve the aforementioned good interior
brightness.
From the cabin to the driver’s seat
The air conditioning system, which is
strictly electric and equipped with a heat
pump system, provides 32 kW in cooling
and 37 in heating.
The driver’s seat (ISRI) is comfortable,
provides adequate space even for tall drivers
and offers various adjustment possibilities.
The cockpit, which is completely
digital, has a traditional layout with two dials
(speedometer and battery management)
and other smaller indicators; above the
digital panel is a series of traditional type
indicators. Space is provided for storing
ID CARD
Length mm 18,720
Height mm 3,180
Width mm 2,550
Wheelbase mm 5,900 + 6,650
Front overhang mm 2,740
Front overhang mm 3,430
Passenger seats n 41
Standing passengers n 79*
Empty weight kg 20,900
Distance entrance from ground mm 330
Internal length window-to-window mm 18,015
Usable internal length mm 17,040
Internal width window-to-window mm 2,520
Usable internal width mm 2,370
Internal height mm 2,300
Width doors mm 1,190
Width corridor mm 520
Width passengers seats mm 430
Heigth passengers seatbacks mm 560
Distance driver platform from ground mm 650
Width cockpit mm 920
Internal height driver position mm 2,000
Width/depth driver seat mm 520 / 490
Height driver seatback mm 860
Tires 275/80 R22,5
Motor ZF AxTrax x 2
Peak output kW 125 x 4
Continuous output Nm 60 x 4
Battery supplier
CATL
Battery formula
LFP
Battery capacity kWh / modules n 564 / 16
Energy density Wh/kg 160
*75 with one wheelchair on board, 71 with two wheelchairs
The battery is by CATL
and consists of sixteen
35.2 kWh modules,
making a total of 564
kWh, which places the
articulated Yutong bus in
the medium-high end of
the market. Each module
weighs 221 kg, giving a
total battery mass of 3.5
tonnes. Energy density
of 160 Wh/kg has been
achieved. The driveline
is made of two ZF AxTrax
electrified axles.
the driver’s personal belongings, but there
is a lack of shelves to hold small objects
(pens, telephone, glasses, etc.) without
having them rolling around at every turn
or braking.
Overall, the driving position is comfortable
and ergonomic, however, one thing that
is strikingly negative is the excessively
small font size on the digital display: if the
dials are still readable, the same cannot be
said of the other indicators, including the
very important one relating to the battery
We put the Yutong U18 to the test on a mixed route that
included motorway, suburban road and city routes, on
as challenging a mix of layout and elevation as possible.
We should be accustomed to electric vehicles by now, but
each time we are surprised by the absolute silence (Yutong
promises a maximum of 66 dBA emitted at average
speed) and lack of vibration. With the exception of the
characteristic ‘hum’ of the kinematic chain, the rolling
of wheels exceeds any other sound made by the vehicle,
thanks to the not always impeccable pavement. Responsive
and precise, it easily disentangles itself even in the
most complex situations, even managing to get around
small radius roundabouts. A particularly appreciated aspect
concerns the steering: usually, on electric vehicles, it
is too soft; in this case, however, it has been calibrated in
a pleasant way, with the right balance between not requiring
excessive effort and the feeling of control and precision.
At the very least, it is unusual in that, when the foot
is lifted from the accelerator, no energy regeneration is
activated and the vehicle simply sails along; regenerative
braking is only activated when the brake pedal is pressed.
charge percentage and range availability.
Too small a font requires, at best, an adjustment
of the focus, which could be potentially
critical in an emergency.
A complex procedure...
The starting procedure is not exactly easy:
after activating the batteries, it is also
necessary to activate a main switch that,
fortunately, is located close to the previous
one, and to give consent by means
of a further hidden button on the steering
column, which is absolutely invisible and
practically impossible to locate if you do
not know exactly where it is. It is easy to
imagine how impractical this might be for
those who will have to start this vehicle
several times a day in the course of daily
operation.
Overall, the Yutong U18 gave the impression
of a good vehicle, pleasant to drive
and comfortable from the user’s point of
view. Access is easy and space is plentiful.
From the driver’s point of view, some
aspects can certainly be improved, but the
impression remains positive.
Alessandro Razze
38
39

COMPARISON
12-METER FUEL CELL BUSES IN EUROPE
STRATEGIC
ASSETS
The hydrogen bus market remains marginal in terms of volumes,
but the players are starting to become numerous. CaetanoBus
is a traditional player, Iveco Bus is the latest coming. Karsan has
hydrogen on its offer (and so far only there). Solaris dominates,
Mercedes has put forward an original proposal
In the periodic table that we have
known from our first chemistry lessons,
hydrogen is in first place, and
it is the lightest and most widespread
element in the universe. Now, hydrogen is set
to become one of the main energy carriers of
the future, both because of its high flammability
and the relative ease with which it can
be harnessed in ‘stacks’ where the chemical
reaction generates water in addition to electricity.
Since it is not found in nature in the
form of a diatomic molecule (H2), the only
problem is that it must be produced, possibly
through electrolysis using renewable energy
sources (the so-called green hydrogen) and
perhaps even making your own system ‘at
home’, given the difficulties in transporting
it. This operation, which until a couple of
years ago seemed impossible, is now feasible
at an acceptable cost, and the technology
now available on buses also makes it possible
to plan a regular bus service without major
compromises.
However, there would be two ways to
exploit hydrogen: as a gaseous propellant
in a spark-ignition engine (analogous
to methane) or in a fuel cell to generate
electricity. In the first case, we recall the
positive experiences had by MAN some
20 years ago, with the commissioning of
a dozen buses at Munich airport, plus the
brand-new engine, also by MAN, currently
only intended for trucks. But the
high production costs of a hydrogen engine
and the fairly modest performance
it can deliver dampen the enthusiasm of
most manufacturers. In the second case,
the fuel cell constantly feeds one or more
batteries and the vehicle’s drive is purely
electric, so the technology is relatively
CHALLENGE TO... CELL
simpler. This road is the one taken today
by (almost) all bus manufacturers and in
this report we will analyse the main models
on our market, mentioning - for the
sake of the record - even Van Hool, which
went from being a protagonist of the first
applications to bankruptcy.
OTOKAR IS COMING, WRIGHTBUS IS EXPANDING
Among the manufacturers
that are investing
in fuel cell buses
we can certainly mention
Otokar. At the moment,
we have very little
information on the
characteristics that the
new hydrogen-powered
Kent will have, but
we are certain that we
will hear about it soon.
We must also mention
the Northern Irish
company Wrightbus,
that already landed in
Germany with a hundred
or so orders for
their Hydroliner. The
model is available in
no less than three
lengths (10.9, 11.7 and
12.5 metres), but unfortunately
only two
passenger doors are
provided. The drive
motor is the mid-range
Voith Electrical Drive
System, with an impressive
310 kW peak.
It is coupled to 54
kWh Microvast batteries.
The Hydroliner,
moreover, is
the only model that
offers two fuel cell
capacities (70 kW or
100 kW by Ballard,
FCmove model), and
three cylinder capacities
(30 to 50 kg). Interesting
solutions that
lend themselves to different
mission profiles,
perhaps solving those
‘youth’ problems presented
by other manufacturers.
Who knows
why others haven’t
thought of this yet?
CaetanoBus H2.City Gold Iveco Bus E-Way H2 Karsan E-Ata 12 Hydrogen Mercerdes eCitaro fuel cell Solaris Urbino 12 Hydrogen
Length mm 11,995 12,050 12,220 12,135 12,000
Width mm 2,500 2,550 2,550 2,550 2,550
Height mm 3,458 3,300 3,325 3,400 3,300
Wheelbase mm 6,037 6,120 - 5,900 5,900
Front overhang mm 2,500 2,705 - 2,805 2,700
Rear overhang mm 3,580 3,225 - 3,430 3,400
Seats n - - 40 29 31
Passenger capacity n 95 over 90 95 88 85
Motor brand model Siemens (Cummins) Elfa Siemens (Cummins) Elfa 3 ZF AxTrax ZF AxTrax ZF AxTrax / TSA
Type motor 6-phase - permanent magnet 6-phase - permanent magnet 2x asynchronous 3-phase 2x asynchronous 3-phase 2x asynchronous 3-phase / -
Layout motor Centrale Centrale At wheel hubs At wheel hubs At wheel hubs / central
Output peak kW 180 310 2 x 125 2 x 60 2 x 125 / 160
Torque peak Nm 2,500 3,000 2 x 11,000 alle ruote 2 x 357 2 x 11,000 at wheels / -
Battery provider Forsee Power FPT Industrial Catl BorgWarner Impact
Battery formula LTO NMC LTO NMC LTO
Battery capacity kWh 44 69 30 292 30
Fuel cell module supplier Toyota Hyundai Ballard Toyota Ballard
Fuel cell module output kW 60 100 70 60 70
Hydrogen capacity 37 31 37 25 37
Hydrogen pressure bar 350 350 350 350 350
Front axle ZF RL 82 EC Iveco Ri 75 - ZF RL 82 EC ZF RL 82 EC
Rear axle ZF AV133 ZF AV133 ZF AxTrax Zf AxTrax ZF AxTrax / ZF AV133
The table covers, in alphabetical order, the 12-metre fuel cell bus models available on the European market
today. The Mercedes eCitaro fuel cell does not appear in the monographic reports that follow.as it was subject of driving impressions on our previous issue
(Sustainable Bus September 2024).
40
41

COMPARISON
CAETANO H2.CITY GOLD
A 12-METER MIRAI
The Portuguese fuel cell bus is the outcome
of a joint project with Toyota. 34 units were
registered in Europe in 2023 (74 in the
period 2012 - 2023)
plying the additional power required at
departures and in particular service conditions
as well as, logically, recovering part
of the braking energy.
The whole energy storage is on the roof.
Above the front axle, we find the five hydrogen
cylinders of 312 litres each, with
a total capacity of more than 37 kg of
hydrogen; at the back, there are the air
conditioning unit and batteries and, finally,
the fuel cell. Hydrogen is refuelled via
a flap located near the right front wheel,
while charging of the batteries (normally
not necessary) is possible via a CCS2
socket at the rear.
The UK market is targeted
The engine compartment is reserved for
the entire drive system, including inverter
and cooling. The electric motor is by
Siemens (now Cummins) with 130 kW of
continuous power and 180 kW of maximum
power, 2,200 Nm of continuous
torque and a peak of 2,500. The six-phase
permanent magnet central-type motor is
positioned behind the rear axle, which
is the classic ZF AV133 inverted portal
(the same as the thermally powered buses).
The front axle is the independent ZF
RL82EC, also common to almost all competitors.
The brake system is the electronically
managed Wabco EBS 3 with optional
stability control integrated for active regenerative
braking in the first part of the
brake pedal stroke.
An interesting construction feature is the
steel-made low-floor with modular aluminium
upper structure, which is similar
to what Scania did for the Omnicity.
The modular structure allows the H2.City
Gold to be offered in two lengths: 12 and
10.7 metres, for which the maximum capacities
are 95 and 64 passengers respectively.
Furthermore, it allows the buses
to be fitted with either left- or right-hand
drive, thus easily adapting to the British
and other RHD markets. The choice of
light alloy, also used for much of the exterior
trim, lightens the vehicle overall by
a couple of hundred kilos, benefiting passenger
capacity and above all fuel consumption.
The latter reaches decidedly
low values, with a resounding 0.55 kg/km
in a cycle similar to SORT 3 capable of
bringing the range up to 450 km in almost
all conditions.
The interior layout benefits from a rather
low window line and a completely
transparent rear window; the result is a
rather bright and pleasant environment,
with plenty of seats that can be reached
without steps and are attached directly to
the side walls. The driver’s seat complies
with VDV 234 standards and features a
classic arched dashboard with adjustment
integral with the steering wheel, a large
digital display in the centre, and controls
distributed on both sides.
The Portuguese bodybuilder is
continuing its historic collaboration
with the Japanese company
Toyota (remember, for example,
the front-engine mini and midibus
of some twenty years ago) and has been
offering its fuel cell bus for a few years.
The fuel cell module is supplied by Toyota:
a 60 kW unit that is the same chosen by
Daimler for its eCitaro. Unlike Mercedes,
however, the fuel cell is needed directly
by the traction unit, which also makes use
of three LTO Forsee Power battery modules
of 14.6 kWh each capable of sup-
The whole energy
storage is on the
roof. Above the
front axle, we find
5 hydrogen tanks
of 312 l each, with
a total capacity
of more than 37
kg of hydrogen;
at the back, air
conditioning,
batteries
and fuel cell
42
43

COMPARISON
IVECO E-WAY H2
GOLDEN MOMENT
The E-Way H2 derives from its BEV
counterpart (even if it is currently only
available in the 12-meter version) and is the
result of collaboration with Hyundai
Presented at the last Busworld
in Brussels, the Iveco E-Way is
derived directly from the Frenchmade
battery bus and integrates
the technologies of the South Korean multinational
Hyundai Motor Company, represented
by HTWO, the brand active in
hydrogen technologies based on fuel cell
systems for the entire group.
Therefore, the E-Way retains all the construction
and equipment features already
seen on the BEV, redistributing the various
traction components between the roof and
engine compartment. On the roof are the
In September
Iveco Bus has
been awarded
51 zero emission
buses in France,
31 of those
powered via
fuel cell. They’ll
go to Cannes
Lérins Urban
Community
and Lorient
Agglomération.
100 kW fuel cell and battery thermal management
units at the front, followed by the
carbon dioxide heat pump air conditioning
system; further to the rear are the hydrogen
tanks, consisting of four type 3 cylinders
(aluminium liner coated in carbon fibre) capable
of just over 31 kg of gas. At the back
is the traction system cooling unit. In the engine
compartment we find the fuel cell, inverters
and converters, plus a 69 kWh NMC
battery arranged transversally and developed
by FPT (the same one that, in greater quanti-
ty, equips Iveco BEV buses).
The motor is the Siemens Elfa 3 (Cummins
group) with 310 kW of peak power and
3,000 Nm of maximum torque. It is powered
by a hybrid system managed by new
software (eVeCoP: electric Vehicle Control
Platform) capable of optimising energy
flows from the fuel cell and battery. The
vehicle is thus able to overcome steep gradients
and achieve a range of 450 km under
normal operating conditions.
Hydrogen refuelling takes around fifteen
minutes and is carried out through the nozzle
located above the right front wheel,
while battery charging (or the pre-conditioning
function at the exit) is performed via
the CCS2 socket located behind the third
door (if present).
Signature is clear
The front axle is the independent-wheel
Iveco RI 75, while the rear axle is the ubiquitous
ZF AV133, here with a ratio of 7.36.
Braking is electronically controlled and
supported by the slowing down of the electric
motor (with generator function) activated
either by the brake pedal or a dashboard
lever. The parking brake is electric.
The structure is made by bolting together
the five structural parts that make up the vehicle
(front, rear, sides, roof) made of welded
stainless steel profiles and assembled
together with the steel floor, which is fully
cataphoresis treated. The resulting structure
meets all the main standards on rollover
and impact resistance (R66, R29, R93), although
these are not mandatory for city buses.
Cladding is made of stainless steel and
plastic, with bonded glazing available in
two shades of grey, with or without opening
top, double-glazed or single-glazed.
Internally, too, it retains all the specific features
of Iveco buses, with plastic laminate
interior panelling, thermoformed plastic
wheel arch shells, and stainless steel or lacquered
handrails, according to the customer’s
choice. The passenger seats are mainly
fixed to the walls and can be configured
in different arrangements, with the wheelchair
seat either on the left in front of the
central door or on the right, immediately in
front of it. The E-Way H2 is currently only
available in 12-metre length, with two or
three doors, while it is not known if other
lengths already present in the battery variants
will follow. The maximum capacity of
the three-door 12-metre version, according
to Iveco’s top management, should also
exceed one hundred passengers, depending
logically on the fittings requested and
national registration regulations on weight
limits. A figure which, if confirmed, would
take it to the top of its category.
44
45

COMPARISON
KARSAN E-ATA HYDROGEN
LAUNCHING PAD
The e-ATA Hydrogen is on the market since
2022. Now the OEM is entering in a new
supply partnership with Toyota, that will start
by end 2025
Also derived from the battery
electric bus, the e-ATA Hydrogen
is the only fuel cell
bus designed by a Turkish
manufacturer on the market today.
The driveline remains that of the e-ATA,
with the ZF AxTrax e-powered axle
with its generous performance (250 kW
of maximum power and up to 22,000
Nm of torque available at the wheels),
which allows an interior layout that is
more spacious than others. It is completed
at the rear by a truly enormous
rear window that contributes to the
The fuel cell, by
Ballard, features
70 kW and is
supplemented
by a 30 kWh
LTO battery,
which looks
like it could be
upgraded to
larger capacities.
The hydrogen
is stored in five
type 4 cylinders.
brightness of the cabin. The front axle is
also by ZF, with the ever-present RL82
EC fitted with a standard stabiliser bar.
The fuel cell features 70 kW and is supplemented
by a 30 kWh LTO battery,
which looks like it could be upgraded
to larger capacities. The hydrogen is
stored in five type 4 cylinders arranged
longitudinally at the rear of the roof,
with a total capacity of 1,560 litres and
about 37 kg of gas, at a nominal pressure
of 350 bar (standard). The refuel-
ling connection is above the right front
wheel and protected by a flap fitted with
a closing sensor.
The structure is of the self-supporting
lattice type made by welding together
carbon steel profiles and tubulars.
These are all subsequently subjected to
an immersion cataphoresis process. The
length is 12,220 mm and the height remains
under 3.3 metres. It can be fitted
with two or three doors. Seating in the
suburban configuration comes to forty,
excluding wheelchair seats (where up to
three folding seats can be fitted), thanks
to the excellent distribution of space in
the rear overhang. Maximum passenger
capacity is estimated at 95 between
seated and standing. This number is perfectly
in line with the main competitors.
The driver’s seat is characterised by the
presence of the two front-lateral windows
alongside the windscreen, which
slopes down lower than others, forming
a sort of ‘spur’ that retracts below towards
the floorpan where the light clusters
are located. A rather original solution,
also borrowed from the e-ATA,
which may leave some doubt in everyday
use, at least until you get used to
it. The dashboard allows classic pneumatic
locking adjustment of the steering
wheel and dashboard, in accordance
with VDV standards. At the centre there
is a large LCD display that integrates
the speedometer, charge level, energy
flows, plus the classic operating and
fault indicators.
Of course, integrated into the pedal
stroke is the regenerative brake with the
dual function of retarder and traction
battery charging. The hill start aid, better
known as hill holder, is also standard.
The air-conditioning system can be either
classic with R134a gas or CO2, in
both cases with a heat pump to optimise
heating consumption. Air is distributed
through the roof by means of two longitudinal
ducts parallel to the internal
LED lamps, and heat is distributed by
wall-mounted convectors, while the
driver can rely on a separate frontbox.
46
47

COMPARISON
SOLARIS URBINO HYDROGEN
BEST SELLER
Solaris fuel cell bus has been registered 181
times in 2023 (44% market share). And over
500 units are in backlog. The battery comes
from Polish partner Impact
Solaris is currently the benchmark
for fuel cell buses, at least within
our continent (as proved also by
the recent election as Bus of the
Year 2025). The experience with fuel cells
began exactly 10 years ago, when a range
extender was proposed on trolley buses
in Riga (Latvia) for batteries intended for
traction in the absence of a contact line. In
the following years, although the numbers
were still extremely small, Solaris continued
to work with Ballard for optimizing
the fuel cells and management software for
the high-voltage module that oversees the
The Urbino is
perhaps the
only bus whose
electric motor is
powered directly
by the hydrogen
fuel cell (through
a converter) in
parallel with the
battery and not
only through the
accumulator.
vehicle’s energy flows. The first results began
to come after 2020, with the first major
orders in Germany, Holland and Italy,
where the Urbino already took the shape
we all know.
Back to today, the Urbino Hydrogen is
available in two lengths: 12 and 18 metres,
where the fuel cell and accumulator
are necessarily sized differently. On the
12-metre model, we find a 70 kW Ballard
fuel cell and a 30 kWh LTO Impact battery,
while on the 18-metre model the fuel cell is
100 kW and the LTO batteries double that.
The integration of all high-voltage systems
takes place via a Medcom unit, which also
has the task of monitoring the vehicle’s
insulation status as well as supplying the
24V system.
A distinguishing feature
Regarding traction, the Urbino is perhaps
the only bus whose electric motor is powered
directly by the hydrogen fuel cell
(through a converter) in parallel with the
battery and not only through the accumula-
tor. This should lead to greater energy efficiency
of the entire system and less ‘stress’
for the battery, which is also the smallest
of all, with its already mentioned 30 kWh
or so on the 12-metre model and 60 on the
18-metre bus, with a ‘SoC window’ set at
40 per cent. As we know, accumulators
have the task of recovering energy during
braking and, above all, of compensating
for the higher energy demand during acceleration
and on climbs, with the consequence
that a larger battery (or several
batteries) may be needed on certain more
demanding routes.
Similarly to the Polish
manufacturer’s BEV electric
buses, the hydrogen
buses can also opt for different
drivelines, where the
already familiar ZF AxTrax
powered rear axle has recently
been joined by a
central motor from Austrian
TSA. Power and torque
are respectively 2 x 125 kW
and 2 x 11,000 Nm (downstream
of the integrated
reduction) for the motors
splined into the wheel hubs,
and 160 kW and 1,341 Nm
for the single motor.
The rear of the bus has recently
undergone a specific
restyling that will gradually
be introduced on all
battery-electrically driven
buses. It required the partial
displacement of some components
in order to improve interior roominess
and increase seating capacity by eliminating
the engine tower and the inner rear
bonnet. In the case of the mid-engine, this
is positioned at the front of the ZF AV133
axle, in a compartment that is accessible
both from outside and inside the vehicle,
with an extension of the rear aisle up to the
platform for the wheelchair. There are vast
possibilities for customizing the passenger
compartment, with no less than four passenger
upholstery options available in the
price list and different types of separation
of the driver’s seat. The latter can always
count on the classic VDV dashboard with
adjustment integral with the steering wheel
and a good overall level of finish and ergonomics.
Air conditioning is either traditional with
R134a gas or a CO2 heat pump, each of
which has two power levels. The heating
is supplemented by a 25 kW electric boiler
that operates the air conditioners and convectors
in the passenger compartment as
well as the separate front box for the driver.
The load-bearing structure is, as for all
the Polish manufacturer’s buses, made of
stainless steel, with welded tubulars and
profiles. It meets ECE R66 (rollover),
R29 (frontal impact) and R93 (underrun)
certifications. The upholstery is almost all
made of plastic, with the side panels fitted
with an interlocking system with a screwlocked
underside that allows them to be
quickly replaced.
48
49

PORTFOLIO
ALL THE ZERO EMISSION BUS MODELS
ON THE EUROPEAN MARKET.
ALTAS
Novus City V7
Length mm 7,490
Passenger capacity n. 33
Motor / kW Dana TM4 / 200
Battery type
CATL / LFP
Battery capacity 140
Charging technology
plug-in
ALEXANDER DENNIS
Enviro 400 FCEV (in-house)
Length mm 11,100
Passenger capacity n. 88
Motor type / output kW Voith / 350
Fuel cell system / kW Ballard / 60
Battery type
LTO
Battery capacity max kWh 30
Enviro 500 EV (in-house)
Length mm 12,000
Passenger capacity n. 86
Motor type / output kW Voith / 410
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 472
Charging technology
plug-in
Enviro 200 EV
Length m 9.6 / 10.2 / 10.9 / 11.6 / 12
Passenger capacity n. 80
Motor / output kW BYD / 90x2
Battery type
BYD / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 348
Charging technology
plug-in
Battery capacity max kWh 126
Charging technology
plug-in
Bluebus 12
Length mm 12,068
Passenger capacity n. 109
Motor type / kW Central / 160
Battery type Blue Solutions / LMP
Battery capacity max kWh 441
Charging technology
plug-in
BMC
Procity EV
Length mm 12,090
Passenger capacity n. 97
Motor / kW HSVM 287 Aselsan / 250
Battery type
LTO
Battery capacity kWh 112
Charging technology pantograph
MOBILEcharge
Enviro 100 EV (in-house)
Length mm 8,500
Passenger capacity n. 45
Motor type / output kW Voith / 260
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 354
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
Enviro 400 EV
Length mm 10,300 / 10,800
Passenger capacity n. 87
Motor / output kW BYD / 150x2
Battery type
BYD / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 382
Charging technology
plug-in
Neocity EV
Length mm 8,500 / 10,000
Passenger capacity n. 72 / 68
Motor / kW Dana TM4 Sumo MD / 235
Battery type BorgWarner / NMC
Battery capacity kWh 198
Charging technology
plug-in
BYD
Intelligent charging of e-buses
Enviro 400 EV (in-house)
Length mm 11,100
Passenger capacity n. 96
Motor type / output kW Voith / 410
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 472
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
BLUEBUS
Bluebus 6
Length mm 5,940
Passenger capacity n. 35
Motor type / kW Central / 140
Battery
Blue Solutions / LMP
eBus B11, B13, B15, B18, B19
Length mm 10,816 / 13,275 /
14,775 / 18,150 / 18,750
Motor / output kW BYD / 300
Battery type
BYD / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh
348 / 422 / 511 / 563
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
CarMedialab GmbH | Building 5112 | Werner-von-Siemens-Straße 2-6 | 76646 Bruchsal | Germany
Phone: +49 7251-7240 0 | info@carmedialab.com | www.carmedialab.com
50
Scan me to find out more

PORTFOLIO
ALL THE ZERO EMISSION BUS MODELS
ON THE EUROPEAN MARKET.
eBus k7, k9UD
Length mm 8,750 / 12,200
Passenger seats n. -
Motor / output kW BYD / 180 / 300
Battery type
BYD / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 174 / 422
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
BYD - Castrosua Nelec
Length mm 12,200
Passenger seats n. 92
Motor / output kW BYD / 300
Battery type
BYD / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 422
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
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
Battery capacity max kWh 385
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
H2.City Gold 10/12 (hydrogen)
Length mm 10,700 / 12,000
Passenger capacity n. 64 / 87
Motor / kW Siemens / 180
Battery type
LTO
Fuel cell system
Toyota
Estimate range km 400
EBUSCO
HESS
lighTram 10/12/19/25 DC
Length mm 10,790/12,000/18,750/24,750
Passenger capacity n. 58 / 103 / 136 / 224
Motor / kW - / 150
Battery type -
Battery capacity max kWh
510/610/710/820
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
HIGER
52
BYD - UNVI DD13
Length mm 13,700
Passenger seats n. 77
Motor / output kW BYD / 300
Battery type
BYD / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 484
Charging technology
plug-in
Estimate range km 350
CAETANOBUS
Ebusco 2.2 (LE/LF)
Length m 12 / 12.9 / 13.5 / 18,00
Passenger capacity n. 90/85/78/140
Motor / kW ZF / 250
Battery type
LFP
Battery capacity kWh 363 / 423 / 525
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
Ebusco 3.0
Length mm 12,000 / 18,000
Passenger n. 110/150
Motor / kW Ebusco / 250
Battery type
LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 350/500
Charging technology
plug-in
Steed
Length mm 8,500
Passenger capacity n. 48
Motor / kW -
Battery type
CATL / LFP
Battery capacity kWh 174 / 210
Charging technology
plug-in
Azure 7, 9, 12
Length mm 7,000 / 9,000 / 12,000
Passenger capacity n. 86
Motor / kW Prestolite MD130D / -
Battery type
CATL / LFP
Battery capacity kWh 355
Charging technology
plug-in

PORTFOLIO
ALL THE ZERO EMISSION BUS MODELS
ON THE EUROPEAN MARKET.
IIA
IVECO BUS
ie bus
Length mm 10,850 / 12,160 / 18,730
Passenger capacity n. 76 / 95 / 155
Motor / output kW Irizar / 235
Battery type
Lithium-ion
Battery capacity max kWh 525
Charging technology
plug-in/pant.
NEW SYSTEMS
eBreeze
Citymood 10e, 12e
Length mm 10,620 / 12,100
Passenger capacity n. 80
Motor / kW Siemens 1DB2016 / 230
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max. kWh 330
Charging technology
plug-in
IKARUS
80E
Length mm 8,545
Passenger capacity n. 55
Motor/kW - / 170
Battery
CATL / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 282
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
120E
Length mm 12,190
Passenger capacity n. 86
Motor/kW - / 240
Battery
CATL / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 422
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
180E
Length mm 18,750
Passenger capacity n. 113
Motor/kW - / 350
Battery
CATL / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 564
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
E-WAY
Length mm 9,510 / 10,735 / 12,060
Passenger seats n. 16 - 26 - 35
Motor / kW - /160
Battery type
NMC/LTO
Battery capacity max kWh 416
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
Streetway Elec
Length mm 12,000
Passenger capacity. 90
Motor type / kW Voith / 310
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 485
Charging technology
plug-in
Crossway Elec
Length mm 12,000 / 13,000
Passenger seats n.. 44 / 48
Motor type / kW Siemens / 330
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 485
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
E-Way H2
Length mm 12,000
Passenger seats n.. -
Motor type / kW Siemens / 310
Battery type
NMC
Fuel cell system
Hyundai
Battery capacity max kWh 69
IRIZAR E-MOBILITY
ie tram
Length mm 12,165 / 18,730
Passenger capacity n. 99 / 155
Motor / kW Irizar / 190-235
Battery type
Lithium-ion
Battery capacity max kWh 350/525
Charging technology
ISUZU
plug-in/pant.
Novociti Volt
Length mm 7,957
Passenger capacity n. 48
Motor / kW Dana TM4 Sumo MD / 255
Battery type
CATL / LFP
Battery capacity kWh 211 - 268
Charging technology
plug-in
Citivolt 12
Length mm 12,030
Passenger capacity n. 100
Motor / kW ZF AxTrax / 250
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity kWh 495
Charging technology
plug-in
A new wave of HVAC
FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
> Updated design
> Innovative materials
> Reduced weight and size
> Reduced refrigerant charge
> Easy assembly
> Air extraction
> Adaptable
> Alternative refrigerants with lower GWP index
> Energy efficiency and LCC
> 0-100% adjustable free cooling
> Available with a reversible heat pump
> Filtering capacity up to F7
> HP units available with an electrical
resistor or hot water
ELECTRIC TROLLEY HYBRID
DESIGṈ
POWEṞ
SUSTAINABILITY
54
hispacold.es

PORTFOLIO
ALL THE ZERO EMISSION BUS MODELS
ON THE EUROPEAN MARKET.
Novo Volt
Length mm 7,332
Passenger capacity n. 29
Motor / kW Allison / 320
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity kWh 165
Charging technology
plug-in
KARSAN
e-ATA 10/12/18
Length mm 10,750/12,220/18,300
Passenger capacity n. 79 / 89 / 135
Motor / kW ZF AxTrax / 250-250-500
Battery type
LFP
Batt. capacity max kWh 315/449/595
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
MCV
MAN LION’S CITY E LE.
Award-winning sustainable bus.
KING LONG
MCV C127 EV
Length mm 12,000
Passenger capacity n. 90
Motor / kW ACTIA - 250
Battery type Forsee Power / NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 462
Charging technology
plug-in
e-Jest
Length mm 5,845
Passenger capacity n. 25
Motor / kW BMW / 125
Battery type BMW / Lithium-ion
Battery capacity max kWh 88
Charging technology
plug-in
Pev 6/9/12
Length mm 5,990 / 9.180 / 11,980
Passenger n. 23 / 27 / 36
Motor / kW King Long/Dana - 135/245/350
MELLOR
Battery type
LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 89/282423
Charging technology
plug-in
MAN
Sigma 7, 8, 9
Length mm 7,150 / 8.750 / 9.400
Passenger capacity n. from 33
Motor/kW Dana / -
Battery supplier
CATL
Battery capacity max kWh -
Charging technology
plug-in
e-Atak
Length mm 8,315
Passenger capacity n. 52
Motor / kW Dana TM4 Sumo MD / 230
Battery type BMW / Lithium-ion
Battery capacity max kWh 220
Charging technology
plug-in
MERCEDES
Lion’s City E 10/12/18
56
Length mm 10,575 / 12,000 / 18,100
Passenger capacity n. 67 / 85 / 120
Motor / kW Traton - 240/270/540
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 400/480/640
Charging technology
plug-in
eCitaro 12/18
Length mm 12,135 / 18,125
Passenger capacity n. 80 / 136
Motor / kW ZF AxTrax / 250
Battery type
Akasol / NMC**
Battery capacity max kWh 396 / 441
Charging technology
plug-in
The MAN Lion's City 12 E LE is the perfect vehicle for both urban and cross-country
travel. Its flexibility is matched only by its sustainability, which has also impressed the
jury of international trade journalists for the Sustainable Bus Award (Sby).
The MAN Lion's City 12 E LE is based on the electric 12-metre solo bus and ensures
a particularly high level of seating comfort with a floor landscape adapted to customer
feedback. Find out more at www.man.eu/lionscity-e

PORTFOLIO
ALL THE ZERO EMISSION BUS MODELS
ON THE EUROPEAN MARKET.
eCitaro fuel cell 12/18
Length mm 12,135 / 18,125
Passenger capacity n. 88 / 128
Motor / kW ZF AxTrax / 250
Fuel cell system
Toyota
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 295/ 392
Charging technology
plug-in
OTOKAR
e-Territo U
Length mm 13,000
Passenger capacity n. 63
Motor / kW Voith / 410
Battery type
- / NMC
Battery capacity kWh 450
Charging technology
plug-in
QUANTRON
SAFRA
Hycity
Length mm 11,857
Passenger capacity n. +100
Motor / kW ZF AxTrax / 250
Fuel cell module / kW Symbio / 45
Battery Microvast / NMC / 130 kWh
e-Centro C
Length mm 6,605
Passenger capacity n. 32
Motor / kW Dana TM4 / 205
Battery type
Svolt / NMC
Battery capacity kWh 110
Charging technology
plug-in
Cizaris 12 EV
Length mm 12,180
Passenger capacity n. 81 to 95
Motor / kW Dana TM4 / 245
Battery type
CATL / LFP
Batt. capacity max kWh 242 to 424
Charging technology
plug-in
RAMPINI
SCANIA
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
Scania-Castrosua 75 CS
K
Length mm 13,065
Passenger seats n. 44
Motor / kW - / 300
Battery type -
Batt. capacity max kWh 520
e-Kent C 12/18
Length mm 12,000/18,750
Passenger capacity n. 74/99
Motor / kW Voith / 410
Battery type
Webasto / NMC
Battery capacity kWh 350/560
Charging technology
plug-in
Sixtron/Eltron
Length mm 6,110 / 8,000
Passenger capacity n. 34 / 48
Motor / kW Dana / 230
Battery type
LFP
Batt. capacity max kWh 210
Charging technology plug-in / pant.
Charging technology
SKODA
plug-in
Kent C Hydrogen
Length mm 12,000
Passenger capacity n. 104
Motor / kW - / 410
Battery type
- / NMC
Fuel cell system
Ballard
Estimate range km 500
Hydron
Length mm 8,000
Passenger capacity n. 48
Motor / kW Siemens / 230
Battery type
Rampini / LFP
Batt. capacity max kWh 175
Fuel cell module / kW Loop Energy
Skoda E’City 9, 12
Length mm 9,496 / 12,020
Passenger capacity n. 65 / 85
Motor / kW 100 / 160
58

PORTFOLIO
ALL THE ZERO EMISSION BUS MODELS
ON THE EUROPEAN MARKET.
Battery type -
Battery capacity max kWh -
Charging technology plug-in/plug-pant.
Skoda H’city
Length mm 12,020
Passenger capacity n. 85
Motor / kW 100 / 160
Battery type -
Battery capacity max kWh -
Estimate range km 350
SOLARIS
Urbino electric 9 LE/12
Length mm 9,270 / 12,000
Passenger seats max n. 31 / 43
Motor ZF AxTrax - TSA - 220 / 250-160
Battery type NMC / LTO / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 350 / 600
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
Motor kW ZF / 240/250
Battery type NMC / LTO / LFP
Battery capacity kWh 800
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
Urbino 12/18 hydrogen
Length mm 12,000 / 18,000
Passenger seats max n. 37 / 52
Motor / kW ZF AxTrax / 250
Fuel cell module
Ballard
Fuel cell module power kW 70 / 100
Battery
High Power / 30 kWh
Hydrogen capacity l 5 x 312/ (+3x190)
Avenue Electron
Length mm 12,000
Passenger seats n. 35
Motor / kW TM4 Sumo / 250
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity kWh 240 - 300 - 360
Charging technology
MD9 electriCITY
plug-in
Length mm 9,496
Passenger seats n. 26
Motor / kW
Battery type
TM4/250
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 200
Charging technology
plug-in
LD SB E
Length mm 2.365 / 13.080
Passenger seats n. 57 / 61
Motor / kW
TM4/250
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 350
Charging technology
plug-in
VDL
Learn more
about BusLink
Innovation, experience and perfection
JOST is a listed corporate group that has been a global leader in the production of safety-related
systems, modules and components for commercial vehicles since its foundation in 1952.
JOST is characterised by high-quality, reliable and market-oriented products all over the world.
With the BusLink articulation pusher bus system, the company is now also offering components
for the bus industry for the first time.
www.jost-world.com
Components of
BusLink:
Articulated turntable
controller (ATC)
60
Urbino electric 15 LE
Length mm 14,890
Passenger seats max n. 65
Motor Central asynchronous / 300
Battery type
NMC / LTO / LFP
Battery capacity max kWh 470
Charging technology
plug-in/pant.
Urbino electric 18/24
Length mm 18,000 / 24,700
Passenger capacity n. 145 / 155
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
TEMSA
Pant. / IMC
Citea new gen. LF-122 / LE-122
Length mm 12,200
Passenger capacity n. 110 / 105
Motor/kW ZF AxTrax / 250
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 490
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
Citea new gen. LE-135 / LE-149
Length mm 13,500 / 14,900
Passenger capacity n. 89 / 138
Motor/kW ZF AxTrax / 250
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 552 / 674
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
JOST’s BusLink articulation pusher bus system responds to the challenges posed by modern
mobility – from electric and hydrogen buses to articulated buses with conventional engines.
BusLink adapts to any OEM requirement, from the articulation design to the articulated
turntable controller. Welcome to a new era of articulated flexibility.
Advantages of BusLink:
• As a system supplier, JOST offers the perfect integration of all components from
a single source.
• The JOST articulated bus system BusLink can be adapted to all possible customer
requirements.
• For example, the articulated turntable controller can be adapted to all possible
customer driving requirements. The sensor data is configured in the controller together
with the OEM.
• Slim, weight-optimised articulation design particularly suitable for electric bus
applications.
• Integrated JOST ball bearing turntable technology, with which the JOST success story
began in 1952.
• Reliable expertise in welded structures for the commercial vehicles industry.
Bellow
JOST bus articulation

PORTFOLIO
Citea new gen. LE-181
Length mm 18,100
Passenger capacity n. 153
Motor/kW ZF AxTrax / 250
Battery type
NMC
Battery capacity max kWh 674
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
VOLVO
U11DD
Length mm 10,990
Passenger seats n. 82
Motor/kW Yutong TZ368XSYTB38/350
Battery type
CATL
Battery capacity max kWh 385
Charging technology
plug-in
WRIGHTBUS
The international media
focusing on innovation and
sustainability in public transport
Established 2018
Editor in chief
Stefano Agnellini
Managing editor
Riccardo Schiavo
Editorial staff
Fabio Butturi, Ornella Cavalli,
Alberto Gimmelli, Fabrizio Dalle Nogare,
Stefano Eliseo, Fabio Franchini,
Cristina Scuteri, Luca Vitali
Layout & graphics
Marco Zanusso (manager)
Editorial management
Fabio Zammaretti
Printing
Industrie Grafiche RGM srl,
Rozzano (Mi)
Milano City Court Authorization
n. 109 – September 5th 2023 National Press
Register n. 4596 – April 20th 1994
n. R.O.C. 2880 30-11-2001
7900 Electric (MCV)
Length mm 12,000/18,000/18,700
Passenger capacity n. 95/150/145
Electric motor / kW 200 / 400
Battery type
LTO
Battery capacity max kWh 470 / 565
Charging technology plug-in/pant.
YUTONG
StreetDeck Hydroliner FCEV
Length mm 10,900
Passenger capacity n. 86
Motor / kW
Voith VEDS
Fuel cell module
Ballard
Fuel cell module power kW -
Battery
Forsee Power / NMC
Battery capacity kWh 48
Hydrogen capacity kg 27 (1,120 l)
StreetDeck Electroliner BEV
Length mm 10,900
Passenger seats n. 95
Motor / kW
Voith VEDS
Battery
Forsee Power / NMC
Battery capacity kWh 340 - 454
Charging technology
plug-in.
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Sustainable Bus subscription 4 Issues
80 euro
Back issues
25 euro
Customized
cooling.
E12 Pro
Length mm 12,000
Passenger seats n. 61
Motor/kW Yutong YTM280-CV9-H/350
Battery supplier
CATL
Battery capacity max kWh 422
Charging technology
plug-in
U12
Length mm 12,170
Passenger capacity n. 75
Motor/kW Yutong TZ368XSYTB38/350
Battery type
CATL
Battery capacity max kWh 422
Charging technology
plug-in
GB Kite Hydroliner FCEV
Length mm 12,000
Passenger capacity n. 90
Motor / kW
Voith VEDS
Fuel cell module Ballard FC Move
Fuel cell module power kW 70 - 100
Battery
Forsee Power / NMC
Battery capacity kWh 30 - 45
Hydrogen capacity kg 35 - 50
GB Kite Electroliner BEV
Length mm 12,000
Passenger seats n. 90
Motor / kW
Voith VEDS
Battery
Forsee Power / NMC
Battery capacity kWh 340 - 454 - 567
Charging technology
plug-in.
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Charging
forward
to the next generation
of efficient transportation
Our high-voltage eFan ensures
efficient cooling in all-electric
heavy-duty trucks.
62

FOR A
BETTER
LIFE.
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