The first 100% electric route in Marseille has been inaugurated with six Irizar i2e vehicles manufactured to Régie des Transports de Marseillaise (RTM) specification. They are to full low floor specification and feature two double doors with a Masats electric access ramp at the centre door. The total capacity of 77 passengers includes 27 seated, one person with reduced mobility (PRM), and up to 51 standing.
The Irizar vehicles are claimed to have an operating range of between 12 and 16 hours covering up to 240km. Irizar say the bus has a very low carbon footprint of 8.45g CO2 eq./km.p (per kilometre and passenger). It means it saves around 800 tonnes of CO2 during its entire service life, compared to a conventional diesel bus.
The Irizar vehicles are claimed to have an operating range of between 12 and 16 hours covering up to 240km. Irizar say the bus has a very low carbon footprint of 8.45g CO2 eq./km.p (per kilometre and passenger). It means it saves around 800 tonnes of CO2 during its entire service life, compared to a conventional diesel bus.
The buses feature 16 sodium-nickel batteries and a Siemens motor, as well as CCTV, Wi-Fi, LED lights and a reversing camera. Irizar has installed an intelligent system which optimises the process of charging the six buses.
The six buses began serving Marseille’s iconic 82 line, which runs between la Canebière and Euromed (stopping at the headquarters of MPM and the Métropole, the Old Port, MuCEM and the new business district of Euroméditerranée).
The city is partnering with French electric utility company EDF to test large-scale recharging facilities, as a potential difficulty is charging large numbers of electric buses.
RTM and the city of Aix-Marseille Provence, the organising authority, are considering a gradual transition to a fully electric bus fleet over the next decade. The current RTM bus fleet consists of 600 buses.
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The six buses began serving Marseille’s iconic 82 line, which runs between la Canebière and Euromed (stopping at the headquarters of MPM and the Métropole, the Old Port, MuCEM and the new business district of Euroméditerranée).
The city is partnering with French electric utility company EDF to test large-scale recharging facilities, as a potential difficulty is charging large numbers of electric buses.
RTM and the city of Aix-Marseille Provence, the organising authority, are considering a gradual transition to a fully electric bus fleet over the next decade. The current RTM bus fleet consists of 600 buses.
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Above & below, Irizar i2E vehicle displayed at Busworld Kortrijk in 2015 |