Norwegian transit operator Unibuss AS is taking steps towards its goals of cutting the carbon footprint of its fleets by placing an order for 40 electric Citeas from VDL Bus & Coach for routes in Oslo, Norway.
The agency responsible for public transport in and around Oslo, PTA Ruter, announced its intention to transition the entire public transit bus fleet to electric vehicles over the next 10 years to drive meaningful improvements in the quality of life for city residents.
Unibuss chose to implement two different versions of VDL’s Citeas Electric buses to provide the same service around the Greater Oslo Region that its customers have grown accustomed to. The deal is comprised of 30 Citeas SLFA-180 Electric buses with a 169 kWh battery pack and 10 Citeas SLF-120 Electric buses with a 127 kWh battery pack.
VDL’s SLF Electric and SLFA Electric bus platforms were designed to be modular, which allows transit operators to build and purchase a bus package that best fits their needs. Right-sizing the battery package allows for the best cost-benefit balance and ensures the best return on investment for fleet managers.
The first e-buses from this order will start running around the Greater Oslo Region in the spring of 2019. The purchase is a milestone for VDL Bus & Coach as it marks the largest order for electric buses in all of Scandinavia to date.
Alex de Jong, the business manager for public transport at VDL Bus & Coach, said of the deal, “As an experienced transition partner and European market leader in the area of E-Mobility, we are pleased to now be entering the Norwegian market. Norway is taking big steps and leading the way in Scandinavia when it comes to the transition to zero-emission public transport. We at VDL Bus & Coach are proud that with this prestigious order we are contributing to Oslo’s standing as European Green Capital of 2019.”
VDL has built a name for itself as a turnkey transit solution provider with its seamlessly integrated bus and charging packages that optimize each solution for the specific application. This can be a mix of large and small buses, long and short range buses, and overnight and on-route charging solutions, giving transit operators flexibility with fleet conversions.
(cleantechnica)