STOAG provides German first: first series of 15 new generation VDL Citeas will operate in Oberhausen
STOAG Stadtwerke Oberhausen GmbH will provide VDL Bus & Coach with a German first: the first series of the new generation of Citeas, 15 electric city buses of type LF-122, are to enter into service in Oberhausen. The vehicles are based entirely on an electric power train and have trend-setting features.
STOAG currently provides environmentally friendly mobility in Oberhausen with 6 trams and 131 buses. 4 electric VDL Citeas are already running on line 979 between Oberhausen and Bottrop. Boris Höltermann of VDL Bus & Coach Deutschland GmbH: "In Germany, we are one of the market leaders in the field of electric public transport and our expertise is widely recognised. Of course, you always need partners who have vision and ambition to promote the sustainable design of public transport. The fact that we will be able to further expand our cooperation with STOAG in the future makes us genuinely proud."
The new generation of Citeas has already been sold in several countries and will be deployed in a number of cities and areas starting this year: Netherlands (Eindhoven), Finland (Kotka and Lahti), Belgium (all of Flanders) and France (Bordeaux).
Improved range
Delivery of the new generation of Citeas is planned for December 2022. The e-buses have a 429 kWh battery pack and are ideally suited for both city and regional transport. The range of the new generation of Citeas has been considerably improved: with this battery, the LF-122 (Low Floor) can travel 200 to 300 kilometres in all weather conditions on pure electric power, without any interim recharging. The vehicles have pantographs for greater operational flexibility.
"With the 15 new Citeas from VDL, we’re expanding our electromobility considerably," says STOAG Managing Director Werner Overkamp happily. "In VDL Bus & Coach, we have a partner with whom we already have good experience in the field of electric public transport. We are very much looking forward to these newly designed vehicles."
New generation VDL Citeas
VDL Bus & Coach has become one of the leading players in Europe in the field of e-mobility. 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. In 2021, VDL Bus & Coach presented the new generation of electric Citeas. Based on the VDL vision, a bus concept has been developed that is entirely based on an electric drive train and that is ready for the future, with zero emission as a matter of course. Among other things, VDL Bus & Coach is introducing an innovative composite sidewall construction that is 15% lighter than a conventional sidewall. The battery pack is integrated into the floor as standard.
With more than 1,000 buses in 11 countries, delivered between 2015 and 2021, VDL Bus & Coach has a market share of 14% in Europe. The 100 million electric kilometres achieved in February 2021 represent a saving of more than 14.7 million kilograms of CO2 emissions. In Germany, this concerns more than 100 electric buses, which together account for more than 5 million electric kilometres of experience in public transport.
STOAG
As a transport service provider, STOAG has a long tradition in Oberhausen, a city of more than 200,000 inhabitants in North Rhine-Westphalia. The first electric tram was put into operation in 1897. Today, the 'electric' is still roaming the streets of the city, even though STOAG is now concentrating on public transport buses.
Around 440 employees work to ensure that mobility runs smoothly. STOAG trams and buses provide direct, seamless connections between the city districts, the most important and interesting facilities in the city and the neighbouring cities. The NachtExpress (NightExpress) runs around the clock on weekends. In addition, the so-called 'Revierflitzer' is in operation every evening and night. This on-demand service is operated with electrically powered 'London taxis' and is well received by customers.