VDL adds 14.5 m electric bus to lineup
VDL Bus & Coach expands the product range of its “Citea Electric” family. The Citea XLE-145 Electric uses the modular VDL concept and is intended to offer customers a higher passenger capacity than the other low-entry models.
The modular bus concept offers operators a number of advantages. Not only can they choose between different configurations (about two or three doors), they can also flexibly design the interior – a maximum of 52 seats are possible in the direction of travel. The design with many common components also simplifies maintenance and service if the operator already has other VDL buses in the fleet.
The Dutch company also offers the Citea XLE-145 with two battery sizes. A battery with a capacity of 288 kWh is installed as standard, a 360 kWh battery is available as an option. The range with one battery charge is not mentioned by VDL in the press release. Since the E-bus with its CCS connection can be charged quickly and optionally also with a current collector, 600 kilometres per day are possible according to the manufacturer.
At the UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2019 in Stockholm, where the Citea XLE-145 was also presented, VDL also announced a new order. From 16 June 2019, 13 VDL-E buses will be operating on the new HelsingborgsExpress in southern Sweden.
The Citea SLFA-181 Electric articulated bus will be used there instead of the new 14.5 metre bus. In addition, an electric mobility project with 25 Citeas SLFA-181 Electric will be put into operation in Umeå at the end of the month. This is the fourth electric bus project for VDL in Sweden, which is why the sales and service network in the Scandinavian country is to be expanded.
Worldwide, there are already 400 electric VDL buses in operation and, according to the manufacturer, cover an average distance of 70,000 km. Since April 2015, the Citea Electric has driven a total of 30 million electric kilometers. Compared to conventional diesel buses, this means a reduction in CO2 emissions of 70 tons per day, according to VDL.
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