3 German transport companies join forces: VDL Bus & Coach delivers 12 electric Citeas
Three German transport companies have joined forces and will put their trust in 12 Citeas SLF-120 Electric from VDL Bus & Coach from the end of 2021 onwards. Kraftverkehrsgesellschaft mbH Braunschweig, Verdener Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH and Stadbus Goslar GmbH are thus underscoring their sustainable ambitions in the area of electric regional public transport.
"We have a very positive view of current developments in Germany," says Managing Director Boris Höltermann of VDL Bus & Coach Deutschland GmbH. "More and more subsidies are becoming available, which has made the choice of purchasing zero emission buses easier. If transport companies cooperate in a targeted way, their ability to act will naturally be even greater and cities will be able to implement their desired greening programmes faster and more effectively. As a European frontrunner in electric public transport and a sustainable cooperation partner, we can strengthen these projects."
Quality of life
VDL Bus & Coach will deliver a total of 12 Citeas SLF-120 Electric to three transport companies: Nine Citeas to Kraftverkehrsgesellschaft mbH Braunschweig, two to Verdener Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH and one to Stadtbus Goslar GmbH. The cooperation with KVG Braunschweig and Verdener Verkehrsgesellschaft is not new: they already own several Citea LLE Diesel vehicles.
"The region-wide introduction of electric mobility is a major, forward-looking project for our regions of Verden, Goslar and Braunschweig," explains Axel Gierga, Managing Director of Kraftverkehrsgesellschaft mbH Braunschweig on behalf of the cooperating transport companies. "This can only be achieved with strong and experienced partners. That is why we’re looking forward to working with VDL Bus & Coach. They bring with them a wealth of experience. Their expertise is vital for the implementation of this future project. With quiet, clean and emission-free buses in our fleet, we will contribute to achieving the targets of the European Clean Vehicle Directive and to improving the quality of life in our regions."
Citea SLF-120 Electric
The 12 VDL Citeas will be delivered in December of this year. The vehicles will provide the solution for electric public transport on bus routes with high passenger numbers. The Citeas SLF-120 Electric have a CCS charging point and are mainly charged at the depot. The batteries have a capacity of 350 kWh.
The ordered Citeas will be used mainly in urban transport. Verdener Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH will use the electric buses on the routes in Verden (Aller) and at peak times in the district’s towns and villages as far as the neighbouring municipality of Kirchlinteln.
Stadtbus Goslar GmbH will deploy its ordered Citea SLF-120 Electric on all lines of Goslar's city transport system and thus also operate in the city centre and the pedestrian zone. KVG Braunschweig will also use the nine Citeas for city transport in the transport areas of Salzgitter, Helmstedt and Wolfenbüttel.
On the road to 100 million electric kilometres
The cities of Münster, Cologne, Osnabrück, Oberhausen-Bottrop, Leipzig and Kiel in Germany are already making a daily contribution to the principle of VDL Bus & Coach: ‘Aiming for Zero’. In the coming years, Plön, Völklingen and Neuss will be added to this list, as VDL Bus & Coach announced in December 2020.
Since the first five VDL Citeas SLF-120 Electric arrived in Münster in 2015, more than 100 vehicles in Germany have so far been delivered in fully electric mode, notching up more than four million electric kilometres of experience in public transport.
VDL has been active in the field of electric transport for over 25 years. Since the introduction of the first Citea SLF-120 Electric in Geneva, during the UITP Mobility & City Transport exhibition in 2013, VDL Bus & Coach has focused strongly on electric mobility. With now almost 800 buses in 10 countries and more than 150,000 kilometres travelled daily in many European cities and regions, the magic limit of 100 million electric kilometres is in sight.
New Generation Citea
VDL Bus & Coach has become one of the leading players in Europe in the field of e-mobility. In 2021, VDL Bus & Coach will present the new generation of electric Citeas. Based on the VDL vision, a bus concept has been developed, entirely based on an electric drive train, that is ready for the future and where zero emissions are a given. VDL Bus & Coach will announce more details in a special campaign in the coming months. The buses will be on display for the first time at Busworld, in Brussels this October.
VDL Bus & Coach will introduce an innovative composite sidewall construction that is 15% lighter than a conventional sidewall. The battery pack is integrated into the floor as standard. This ensures better weight distribution, greater stability (safety) and increases passenger capacity. The choice of efficient components, lightweight construction, good insulation, aerodynamic design and optimal energy management reduce the vehicle's energy consumption by up to 30%.