Finnish cities Lahti and Kuopio taking a step towards sustainable electric public transport with VDL Bus & Coach
Koiviston Auto Group in the cities of Lahti and Kuopio, together with VDL Bus & Coach, are taking an important step in the development of electric and therefore sustainable public transport in Finland. According to Managing Director Sami Ojamo of VDL Bus & Coach Finland, the delivery of a total of 31 Citeas LLE-115 Electric demonstrates that "electric buses are also a viable option in medium-sized cities".
13 Citeas LLE Electric will be delivered to Kuopion Liikenne Oy which provides public transport in Kuopio, a city in the interior of Finland. In Lahti, 18 Citeas LLE Electric will be put into operation. Koiviston Auto Oy is responsible for public transport in Lahti which is located approximately a hundred kilometres north of the capital Helsinki.
Managing Director Sami Ojamo from VDL Bus & Coach Finland Oy: “We are seeing a rapid transition to electric and sustainable public transport in Finland. It is a privilege to support our long-standing customer in this transition. This step means that we are able to strengthen our position as one of the leading suppliers in Finland even further.”
Strong cooperation
Kuopion Liikenne Oy and Koiviston Auto Oy are part of the family-owned Koiviston Auto Group. These 31 buses see the total number of Citeas LLE delivered by VDL Bus & Coach to Koiviston Auto Group exceed 200. “This has further deepened the strong cooperation we have had for years with VDL Bus & Coach, the European market leader in the field of electric buses”, says Antti Unkuri, CEO Koiviston Auto Group. “We are both family businesses, relying on the same standards and values. Especially in these early stages of e-mobility in public transport the support of VDL is valuable to us.”
Citea LLE-115 Electric
The Citea Light Low Entry Electric is an innovative, low-entry, lightweight concept specially designed for the demanding conditions of urban and regional transport. The innovative construction method results in a very low weight with major advantages, such as the lowest energy consumption in its class as well as low maintenance costs.
The Citeas in Lahti and Kuopio are equipped with a 35+4 seating arrangement, with space for one wheelchair or two prams. The buses are equipped with a High Energy 282 kWh battery pack, for charging with CCS2 socket in Kuopio and a roof mounted pantograph in Lahti. The low temperatures in winter which can drop below 30 degrees or even colder place high demands on the vehicles.
Koiviston Auto Group
With 8 operating companies spread across Finland, Koiviston Auto Group is the largest operator in Finland. The family business has around 1,000 buses and coaches and more than 2,300 employees. Its annual turnover is 200 million euros. The company headquarters is based in Lahti.