On 31 March French public transport operator Keolis launched an autonomous electric shuttle route serving the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines-Montigny-le-Bretonneux suburban rail station and local business parks. With €2.4 million of funding from Île-de-France Mobilités, the service is free for passengers. It operates 7.30am to 8pm Monday to Friday. Keolis was chosen because of its commitment to quality of…
Zero Emission Buses Regional Area scheme has been launched in the UK, with up to £120 million (140 million euros) funding to help local transport authorities introduce zero-emission buses. It is set to allow local transport authorities to bid for funding to purchase zero-emission buses, that reduce the carbon emissions across the country. The funding will deliver up…
The share of electric buses registered in Europe rose to 6.1 percent as that of diesels dropped some 10 percentage points to 72.9 percent since 2019, reveals ACEA. ACEA figure cover all new medium and heavy buses (over 3.5 tonnes) in the European Union. The organisation puts urban buses (where e-buses are more numerous) together…
Bus2Bus 2021 opens its doors on 14 and 15 April in the Berlin Messe Palais am Funkturm Halls 18, 19, and 20. The shorter two-day event features virtual elements. This is in response to the coronavirus which impacts both the bus industry and trade fairs. This year, the halls are different and will be bathed in natural…
Busworld Europe 2021 has decided to play it safe and bow out, with regrets. Organisers feel visitors might not come to the October show in the usual numbers. The door remains open to alternative October events. The plan is for the next Busworld Europe to be in Brussels from 7 to 12 October 2023. For more…
Sustainable Bus Media is producing Sustainable Bus Tour 2021, including two webinars. There, operators, manufacturers, component makers and technology leaders will debate public transport sector issues and outlooks. They will throw a keen look at today’s developments and the challenges the public transport sector faces. The initiative involves public transport companies Keolis and Transdev as…
In the year of Covid-19, the West European battery electric bus market expanded 22 percent. Trolleybuses apart, 2062 new e-buses sold there in 2020. The 1685 sales in the same market made 2019 a notable record year, figures tripling on 2018. The market had taken 5087 e-buses since 2012. Nearly three quarters of them have…
BorgWarner is to take over battery manufacturer Akasol. The companies announced a Business Combination Agreement for a strategic partnership as BorgWarner launches a voluntary public takeover offer. The US-based group is then likely to acquire the German battery system supplier. Akasol is partner of e-bus makers like Daimler. Recently Akasol announced another deal with Turkey’s…
Coventry plans to switch to electric buses only by the end of 2025. The city is looking to buy 297 e-buses. Coventry and Oxford were picked in early 2021 for an England-wide competition to switch an entire urban bus fleet to electric power. Coventry City Council announced that the city will get £50 million to…
Pandan, official Higer Bus importer in Israel, has launched new Higer battery electric buses and CNG bus in Tel Aviv: The 8.6m battery electric bus has a lithium iron phosphate battery with overnight charging and fast charge 172kWh; Charge time is up to two hours and range is 250km (under ESORT2). The motor is a…