Sustainable Bus Award 2019, the finalists’ names. The winner will be announced at IAA

Sustainable Bus Award 2019: twelve models of buses and coaches are on the road to Hannover, where during IAA the prize will be delivered. The jury has issued its first verdict, releasing the shortlist of finalists of the only European award that acknowledge sustainability in the field of buses.

Sustainable Bus Award, launched by italian magazine AUTOBUS in 2016, today relies on a network of seven partner magazines that represent seven European countries. Last year, the award was won by Vdl Citea Slfa-181 Electric, Iveco Crossway Le Natural Power and Setra ComfortClass S516 Hd/2.

Sustainable Bus Award Urban, electric challenge

Electric drives monopolize ‘Urban’ category, full of novelties, where the match will be between the long awaited Mercedes Citaro Electric, the articulated Urbino electric manufactured by Solaris Bus & Coach, ie tram by Irizar, a product that is built in the first plant fully dedicated to electric buses.

Last but not least, the competition involves also a trolleybus: the Crealis Electric realized by Iveco Bus in parthership with Skoda Electric.  Iveco Bus has recently won the “Move Green!” category at Transports Publics exhibition in Paris with its pioneering range of Urbanway and Crealis trolleybuses that combine two-wire overhead supply lines with battery-based power storage, in order to allow the vehicles to afford part of the service without connection with the supply lines.

Intercity and Coach, hybrids and diesel

Hybrid buses are taking half of ‘Intercity’ shortlist: Mercedes Citaro 2 Ü Hybrid and Irizar i4 Hybrid will fight against Iveco Crossway 12m Le and the French product Trouillet Mobilités S’Cool 44.

The recently realeased new Volvo 9900 will compete, in ‘Coach’ category, with the double-decker Setra S 531 Dt and Man Lion’s Coach 13m. Finally, Irizar will plays its cards with i6 13m. The jury represent seven European countries. The network, indeed, consists of Mobilités Magazine (France), Busfahrt (Germany), AUTOBUS (Italy), OV-Magazine (Netherlands), InfoBus (Poland), Infotrucker (Romania), Carril Bus (Spain).

A cross-cutting idea of sustainability

Now the jurors will proceed with the detailed evaluation of the vehicles shortlisted according to Sby criteria, split in the following groups: Engine, Transmission, Safety, Comfort, Sustainabiliy. The award mustn’t be considered just a prize to the ‘greener’ bus. Actually, Sustainable Bus Award is based on a cross-cutting idea of sustainability, intended as the ability to establish a positive image of the vehicle to the eyes of the general public. Several aspects can come into play, such as safety, comfort, noise, recyclability of components and the general environmental commitment of the manufacturer.