What we are seeing at European Mobility Expo in Strasbourg

European Mobility Expo is running from Tuesday 1st October until 3 October in Strasbourg, exceptionally in the city that hosts the seat of the European Parliament and not in Paris, due to logistics issues related with the Olympic year.

Within the expo, bus OEMs are well represented (among others: Iveco Bus – Heuliez, Daimler Buses, Solaris, Irizar, Hess, Omnicar, Otokar and Karsan), plus Ebusco and Volvo Buses France both without vehicles (while JBM has stand with no vehicles and the e-coach outside), as the value chain of charging infrastructure for e-buses and telematics and operators (Ekoenergetyca, Heliox, Hitachi, INIT, Kempower, Keolis, Moventis, RATP, Transdev, Keolis, Siemens, Webasto, ZF).

Oddly absent were the Chinese manufacturers, who were widely represented at recent IAA Transportation.

The European Mobility Expo, backed by French public transport associations GART and UTPF and organized by GIE Objectif transport public, is a biennial event focused on public transport where companies and bodies in the sustainable mobility industry meet together.

European Mobility Expo hosting the Sustainable Bus Tour

On the morning of 2nd October we promoted the Sustainable Bus Tour session “On the way to a fully zero emission city bus market in 2035”. The conference was introduced by Dario Dubolino, Policy officer at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Mobility and Transport, and Thomas Avanzata, Spokesperson of the European Union Committee at UITP, and feature panelists from leading public transport operators Keolis and Transdev, industry players such as Iveco Bus and Irizar e-mobility for the vehicle manufacturing side and ZF for the components side.

Also represented in the panel, the French national hydrogen association France Hydrogène and consultancy company RaboResearch (branch of RaboBank).

European Mobility Expo: Daimler, Karsan, Otokar

Daimler Buses is joining with the 12-metre version of the eCitaro Fuel Cell, the company’s flagship model, featuring Toyota’s signature fuel cell module and 98 kWh lithium-ion NMC3 batteries.

Otokar is present with the e-Centre C. Omnicar, a 25-years old German company active so far in the bodyworks on Sprinter and Daily minibuses, has launched its first vehicles with own logo unveiling the W-Smile S6 and W-Smile S7 at Bus2Bus in Berlin. And now is again exhibiting in Strasbourg with the 6-metre W-Smile S6: batteries of up to 114 kWh allocated to the rear, CATL signature, and 135 kW Dana transmission.

Karsan showcased the six-metre e-Jest, the eight-metre e-Atak in an autonomous version and – still on the subject of H2 – the 12-metre e-Ata Hydrogen; all battery-powered models. What is worth mentioning, the Turkish brand took the opportunity of European Mobility Expo to announce a significant change to its dealership network in France, Benelux and Switzerland, where Cosmobilis Group becomes Karsan’s dealer by taking over majority of HCI.

Last but not least, Hess, with a 24-meter LightTram.

Irizar at European Mobility Expo with Orleans’ ie tram

A 12-metre long Irizar ie tram, the company’s flagship vehicle, is on stage. That bus, specifically, is owned by Orleans Métropole, and it belongs to the last batch of orders.

Last year, Orleans Métropole chose the Irizar e-mobility ie trams once again.  After 29 ie trams were put into operation in 2021, Orleans Métropole once again decided on Irizar e-mobility electric bus and they made another order, this time for seven units more of the same length and model.

This year the Communauté d’agglomération du Pays Basque has once again chosen the electric ie trams from Irizar e-mobility.  Seven units will be 18-metres long and four will be 12-metres long. These new vehicles are added to the eighteen ie trams that have been on the road in this French region since 2019.

Both cities have once again decided to rely on Irizar e-mobility electromobility solutions, while in Paris the RATP has put its first 12-metre ie buses on the road this year (there will be 60 buses in total, back from a framework contract signed in 2021).

Iveco Bus: BEV and FCEV at European Mobility Expo 2024

Iveco Bus is taking part to European Mobility Expo 2024 in Strasbourg and confirms its strategy of global supplier of tailor-made approaches for the deployment of high-performance decarbonized mobility.

Visitors can see at the expo the GX 337 ELEC: a 12m electric bus in the colors of the Strasbourg Transport Company (CTS). Plus a fuel cell-powered E-Way H2 is at the show.

The OEM’s stand also hosts dedicated areas showcasing the manufacturer’s expertise in services with Energy Mobility Solutions, in digital and connected tools with IVECO ON, as well as immersive experience with virtual technology.

Solaris brings hydrogen Urbino at European Mobility Expo

Solaris is presenting its flagship zero-emission solution – the Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen bus.

Solaris is the European leader in e-mobility, ranking first in the total number of electric and hydrogen buses delivered since 2012. In 2023 alone, Solaris held a 15.2% market share in the zero-emission bus segment (electric and hydrogen), securing the top position. The company’s portfolio includes hydrogen buses in 12- and 18-meter versions, as well as electric buses in five different lengths. Additionally, Solaris offers a broad range of battery options, components, and charging systems, including turnkey solutions and comprehensive after-sales services. To date, the company has delivered 2,800 battery and hydrogen vehicles to 215 cities across Europe.

Recent months have brought two product premieres: the Urbino 18 electric and the Urbino 12 electric. Both models are built on a new drivetrain architecture and equipped with the latest generation of batteries. The elimination of the traditional engine tower in these new models has maximized passenger space. Both models offer high performance and efficiency, delivering outstanding range for operators of up to 600 km (based on the eSORT2 test).

In addition, Solaris is the leader in the European hydrogen-powered city bus market. Nearly half (44.5%) of all hydrogen buses registered in continental Europe in 2023 were Solaris vehicles, highlighting the company’s dominance in this area. The articulated Urbino 18 hydrogen bus has been named Bus of the Year 2025 as a first hydrogen-powered vehicle to receive this honour. Due to the growing market interest in hydrogen technology, including in France, Solaris is showcasing a hydrogen bus at European Mobility Exhibition.

On display at this year’s EuMo is the Urbino 12 hydrogen model customized for the German operator Rebus Regionalbus Rostock, based in Güstrow, Germany. The bus features an ultra-modern 70 kW hydrogen cell that acts like a miniature hydrogen power plant on board, converting hydrogen into electricity. The bus is equipped with five lightweight composite tanks on the roof, each holding 37.5 kg of hydrogen. Additionally, the bus includes a Solaris High Power traction battery with a capacity of 30 kWh, designed to support the fuel cell during peak power demand. The driving unit of the bus is a 160 kW electric central motor. In addition, the Urbino 12 hydrogen uses a CO2 heat pump.

With this configuration, the bus can cover up to 600 km on a single refuelling (based on eSORT2 tests). The refuelling process takes only a dozen minutes, depending on the available infrastructure, which, combined with the impressive range, provides flexibility and operability for the operators.

More than 260 Urbino hydrogen models are already in operation across 25 cities in Europe, and the manufacturer also has orders for another 700 hydrogen vehicles, including from French operators. In recent months, Solaris has signed contracts for the supply of Urbino hydrogen buses with customers such as Artois Mobilités, Île-de-France Mobilités, and the city of Belfort’s transport operator.