2023-09 SUSTAINABLE BUS

COMPARISON
EBUSCO 3.0
WINNING CARD
It has been
awarded lots
of orders, but
deliveries have
been lacking.
Innovative
project, but
some drawbacks
remain
Much announced, much awaited,
much analyzed (on paper).
For the first time, in Bonn, we
had the opportunity to test in
real conditions the Ebusco 3.0, the third generation
of buses signed by the Dutch manufacturer.
A range which, in addition to the
12-meter low floor explored in these pages,
also includes the LE version and the 18-meter
articulated launched between the end of
2022 and the beginning of 2023.
Volumes to come
In recent years, Ebusco has had the merit
of winning important tenders, including a
framework agreement for 260 vehicles for
The AxTrax
was modified
by Ebusco, in
collaboration
with ZF, to make
it wider, in order
to allow the
batteries to be
housed on the
floor. This is the
major novelty
of this model,
in addition to
the already
mentioned use
of ultra-light
materials.
Deutsche Bahn and several orders in northern
European countries.
More than modest registration volumes
counteract such exciting data in terms of orders.
Ebusco said they closed 2022 with 565
buses on their order portfolio (excluding options).
Last year the manufacturer delivered
78 buses and recorded EBITDA losses for
35 million euros. As usual, the management
statements are high-sounding: «Our goal is
to manufacture 3,000 buses within the next
five years». We will see. The first units out
of series production are headed to Transdev
Netherlands, it was announced in June.
Let’s see the vehicle, which is characterized
by a design aimed at reducing the empty
weight as much as possible.
Batteries and driveline
Actually, its less than 10.5 tons make it clearly
lighter than the other contenders in the
Bonn test (and, in general, sets a record in
the electric bus sector), even considering that
this is also achieved thanks to the installation
of modest-size LFP batteries (250 kWh
compared to the maximum allowed of 350
kWh). This reduction of weight was obtained
by using technologies from the aeronautical
and aerospace industries, as well as with the
extensive use of ultra-lightweight composite
materials. The Ebusco 3.0, 12,000 millimeters
long and with a standard 5,900 millime-
ter wheelbase, is equipped with a ZF electrified
axle with three-phase asynchronous
hub motors. It is the first time in the manufacturer’s
history: the previous models had
a Chinese-made central motor. The AxTrax
was modified by Ebusco,
in collaboration with ZF,
to make it wider, in order
to allow the batteries to be
housed on the floor. This
is the major novelty of
this model, in addition to
the already mentioned use
of ultra-light materials. A
premier at European level,
followed by VDL with the
new Citea ‘family’. The
two axles are unchanged
compared to the previous
ranges: ZF RL82EC at the front and ZF AV
133 at the rear.
Air conditioning. Here the Thermo King
Athenia MKII system with heat pump takes
center stage. It is capable of 38 kW in cooling
and 47 in heating. A diesel-powered Valeo
Thermo Plus DC300 supplementary heating
system is available to safeguard autonomy
on days of harsh weather.
Interiors. You enter on board by passing
through three Ventura
electrically operated double
doors with an external
sliding mechanism. The
visual impact is very pleasant:
the surface is almost
entirely glazed, thus reducing
the visual obstruction
of plastic profiles. A model
that fits well with the Ebusco
3.0’s design. All in all,
the interiors are pleasant in
their essentiality. There is
a rich supply of handrails,
excellent ease of cleaning under the cantilever-mounted
seats. The 33 seats are Kiel Ideo
models, and the passenger capacity is 90 people.
The above-mentioned small tare does
not translate into a greater number of seats
for one simple reason: the design philosophy
of the Ebusco 3.0 envisages the use of nontwin
wheels at the rear. This choice drastically
cuts the permitted load capacity (although
having undeniable advantages in terms of
costs), as can be read in the table. Where the
previous 2.2 range showed clear constructive
limits, with interior finishes that could be
greatly improved, strong creaking from the
doors and internal noise dictated by inaccurate
insulation of the driveline, most expected
a leap in quality with the 3.0 range. The innovative
scope of the project is undeniable.
However, the internal livability still suffers
from the defects found on the previous range.
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