Hess to build eight electric buses for Lugano

The Swiss bus manufacturer Hess is to deliver a total of eight of its e-buses to Lugano in Switzerland. The vehicles are to be handed over to the operator Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi SA (TPL) by the end of next year. The necessary charging infrastructure will also be supplied by Hess.

The vehicles are of the lighTram 19 OPP type electric buses, and are capable of covering 19 hours of operation without intermediate charging. The manufacturer does not specify a range, according to the manufacturer.

The lighTram 19 OPP electric bus is already in operation in Bern for the operator BernMobil. According to the datasheet, it can be charged via a plug with CCS with up to 150 kW and via pantograph with up to 450 kW. Hess does not disclose which charging solution will be used in Lugano in its press release. The e-bus is around 19 metres long, 2.55 metres wide, 3.5 metres high and offers space for a total of 135 passengers. Hess offers the lighTram series in lengths of 10, 12, 19 or 25 metres.

At the beginning of March, BernMobil had ordered 13 more electric buses from Hess, this time of the lighTram 25 DC type. These are due to go into operation in summer 2026 on route 10 between the main railway station and Köniz/Schliern.

Public transport operator TPL has been looking into the electrification of a bus line for several years, writes Hess in its press release. According to TPL Director Roberto Ferroni, line 5, on which the electric buses will be used, is “one of the most demanding and most frequently used lines”. Each bus travels around 300 kilometres a day and has to overcome differences in altitude of up to 117 metres.

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