New order for Irizar buses in France
The new order comprises seven Irizar ie trams in the 18-metre articulated version and four 12-metre solo buses. These join 18 examples of the electric bus model that have already been on the road in the French Basque Country since 2019. The busmaker says the electric road trams have become a signature for the region. The new buses are being built not far away, as Irizar has its factory in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, in Aduna in the province of Gipuzkoa.
Since the first vehicle in the region, also known as the “Tram’bus” came into service five years ago, it has already transported 12 million passengers. With the new buses, the Transport Union of the French Basque Country plans to expand its route network and increase the frequency of service.
The route of the T2 line, which is currently 8.5 kilometres long, connects Tarnos with Bayonne and has traffic light priority and priority lanes. The additional buses will extend the route by five kilometres to 13.5 kilometres and include the town of Bassussary. Construction of the road began in spring 2024 and will be completed in 2026. The zero-emission public transport route includes exclusive rights of way for transit vehicles and two park & ride parking lots on the outskirts of the city for 670 vehicles.
The other line to be travelled with the new electric transit vehicles is the 12 km T1 line serving Bayonne, Biarritz and Anglet. The route frequency is currently 15 minutes but will be increased to 10 minutes in January 2025.
The Irizar ie tram has now been updated and sports new functions and safety improvements from vehicles already traversing the French Basque Country. The changes take into account new GSR2-ADAS standards, which concern the cyber security of the vehicles. The new ie trams also have a new generation of 470 kWh on-board batteries with lower consumption and greater range. The new batteries not only have more energy on board but are also compatible with the fast-charging infrastructure of the French electricity grid. Another innovation is the new drive system, which weighs 26 per cent less thanks to a lighter and more compact design.
The Irizar ie tram model is characterized by its avant-garde design, which is reminiscent of a streetcar. It is also in use in Orleans, France, with a fleet of 36 electric buses and in London with a fleet of 20 vehicles.
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