Pilot projects in Sarajevo and Trebinje

Sarajevo and Trebinje, March - June 2024

Public transport operators in Sarajevo and Trebinje test the Chariot 18m UC e-bus, March - June 2024

The 18-meter articulated UC e-bus is the first vehicle of its kind in Europe. Following the examples of Belgrade and Sofia, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, conducted tests to evaluate the operational capabilities and passenger comfort offered by the Chariot 18m UC e-bus. The public transport operator GRAS operated the electric vehicle on several routes to compare its performance with conventional buses serving the same lines. The bus was tested for no less than two hours per day over a two-week period in March 2024.

Inspired by Sarajevo’s experience, the public transport operator Wisstion in Trebinje conducted a 90-day pilot project in mid-2024, testing the e-bus with passengers across different routes. Powered by ultracapacitors, the electric bus requires only a ten-minute charge at the final station to complete a 50 km round-trip route.

The 18m UC electric bus is equipped with a 108 kWh roof-mounted ultracapacitor system and consumes approximately 1.3 kWh per kilometre when operating at a total load of 4.5 tonnes under optimal conditions. The ultracapacitor technology is non-flammable and maintains reliable performance in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 60°C. Additionally, the bus does not require overnight charging—the final fast charge at the end of the previous day is sufficient for operation the following morning. Frequent charge and discharge cycles do not reduce the ultracapacitor’s lifespan.