De Lijn launches a fleet of CRRC e-midibuses in Mechelen

De Lijn will start emission-free public transport in the Belgian city of Mechelen in early November. Six electric midi buses by CRRC with a length of 8.5m will be deployed on city lines in the Maneblusser city. They represent a substantial improvement in public transport.

The commissioning of the six midi e-buses in Mechelen fits into De Lijn’s programme to offer completely emission-free public transport throughout Flanders by 2035.

In January 2024 the board of De Lijn, the public transport authority and operator in Flanders, Belgium, has approved the putchase of 92 standard (12 m) electric buses from BYD Europe. Also 65 Iveco E-Way buses are coming. The same operator has recently started the deployment of new generation electric buses by VDL. The very first models from new generation series Citea were launched in Eindhoven recently. The model was launched in September 2022 and the buses are set to be produced in the new plant in Roeselare, Belgium. 

De Lijn midibuses comes from CRRC

Like other 7 provided in Bruges, these buses are supplied by the company Yes-EU, that acts as a dealer of Chinese brands such as Yutong and CRRC in some European region. The tender was awarded in early 2023.

“‘With these brand new e-buses, we want to make public transport in Mechelen even more attractive for our passengers – says Ann Schoubs, director general of De Lijn -. As with our other e-buses, travellers can charge their mobile phones, can find up-to-date trip information on an extra-wide screen, sit on comfortable seats covered in recycled leather and less mobile travellers can get on and off more easily via the electrically operated automatic ramp. But the safety of passengers, pedestrians and the driver has also been considered. For example, the e-buses have cameras instead of mirrors and the driver can rely on modern active and passive safety systems”.

“This is something many travellers have been looking forward to for a long time. These new buses finally open the door to a new future for De Lijn in Mechelen”, said alderman for mobility Alexander Vandersmissen.