Go-Ahead orders 20 Irizar ie tram electric buses for London
The London transport company Go-Ahead has ordered 20 electric buses and charging infrastructure from the Spanish manufacturer Irizar. The order includes 20 examples of the Irizar ie tram 12-metre electric bus with right-hand drive, as well as two 450 kW pantograph chargers and 100 kW depot chargers.
This is the first time Irizar has won an order for the ie tram in the tram design in the right-hand drive version. These will also be the first Irizar buses for customer Go-Ahead: The operator has so far primarily relied on electric buses from BYD-ADL, and hydrogen fuel cell electric buses from Wrightbus.
The charging technology is supplied by Jema Energy, a subsidiary of the Irizar Group. The electric buses are due to start arriving in London from the end of 2022 onwards and will run on route 358 between Crystal Palace and Orpington. The 450kW pantograph charging systems are to be installed at Crystal Palace and Orpington Bus Stations. Irizar explains that these enable the buses to charge in less than five minutes en route. Once the buses have returned to the depot they can be charged using the depot-based chargers.
Iñigo Etxeberria, Managing Director of Irizar e-mobility said that Irizar is delighted that London’s largest bus operator, Go Ahead has chosen its technology. “London is investing heavily in sustainable public transport solutions and we are honoured for Irizar e-mobility to play a part in this goal,” he added. “Our technological race continues, and this operation will see our company launching the first super-fast charging route in London, complying with the high standards set by Transport for London”, he continued.
The city of London has been undertaking a number of measures to reduce pollution and congestion. Earlier this year, the CEO of Go Ahead, Christian Schreyer told the Financial Times: “At the end, it is a fight for space in cities . . . do you want to have 75 cars or one bus, or do you want to have 500 cars or one commuter train?”
In June this year, Irizar scored an order for 30 Irizar ie tram buses. Just last month, EMT Palma in Mallorca took things a little further with modern public transport technology and ordered the Irizar ie tram electric buses with solar panels on the roof.
1 Comment