Alfabus Europe delivers its very first buses (battery-electric) in Italy

A double electric bus premiere was celebrated today in Cremona (Italy): this morning Arriva‘s first zero emission buses for the city’s public transport network were presented. On the same occasion it has been executed the very first delivery of Alfabus Europe buses. The two 12-meter battery-electric buses are to be set in operation for the carrier Arriva KM.

Depot-charging for Alfabus Europe buses in Cremona

In order to meet the increasingly stringent expectations of the Community and the authorities regarding the reduction of polluting emissions, the gradual introduction of electric bus services is planned in the urban area of Cremona, a 70,000-people town in Northern Italy.

This first introduction of electric buses has led to the need for some interventions at the depot, that had to be equipped with charging stations with an installed power of at least 100 kW.

Alfabus electric buses. Since 2002

The model supplied to Arriva is named Alfabus Ecity L12 and is a 12-metre urban vehicle manufactured by the Chinese group, that produces about 3,000 buses every year in its Jiangyin plant, 150 kilometres from Shanghai.

The first Alfabus full electric bus was built in 2002, the first opportunity for a massive deployment of electric buses happened six years later, on the occasion of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2012, the company signed a strategic partnership with Shanghai E-car with regards to research and development related to new products with electric driveline.

Alfabus Europe debuts in Italy

The vehicle carries a significant European know-how in terms of engineering and components. The Ecity L12 offered by Alfabus Europe to European market is not the exact vehicle distributed on the Chinese market. Dozens of changes have been made to make it suitable to western markets, including the doubling of the rear door, improvements in internal layout in order to facilitate mobility, air conditioning system.

Arriva and Alfabus have already worked together on the occasion of EXPO 2015 in Milan, before Alfabus Europe was established in late 2018. Therefore, this morning’s delivery can be considered the very first for the new Chine-European venture.

354 kWh battery for Alfabus Ecity L12 in Cremona

At the ‘heart’ of the zero emission bus there is a permanent magnet synchronous motor (TQSL100A-6/380) capable of delivering up to 210 kW and 2,400 Newtonmetro and the (large) equipment of batteries, able to store up to 354 kWh of electricity. The batteries are divided into twelve modules: six on the roof, six in the rear.

“An initial experiment is being kicked off with two latest generation electric buses: the results and the information collected will be useful to evaluate any further strategies in the medium term – said Angelo Costa, managing director of Arriva Italia. – It is essential to move, step by step, towards a green and environmentally friendly mobility. Already in 2017, KM Cremona purchased 9 latest generation vehicles equipped with Euro VI engines with highly innovative technology, which reduces emissions to minimum levels. Furthermore, the entire supply of electricity to meet the company’s needs, including the charging of electric buses, will be certified by renewable sources, for an even greener city”.