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Arriva to launch VDL’s largest fleet of electric regional buses in Limburg
Public transport in Limburg (The Netherlands) must be fully electric by 2026. This goal of the Province of Limburg is now yet another step closer. With the delivery of 55 electric regional buses, VDL Bus & Coach is working with transport company Arriva on the transition towards zero-emission bus transport.
From Sunday 30 June 2019, twenty VDL Citeas LLE-115 Electric will begin operating from Maastricht. Twenty will also be deployed by Sittard for regional service, along with ten by Venlo-Venray and five by Heerlen. “We are proud that, as a partner of Arriva, we have developed a bus that will also run electrically outside the city,” said Ard Romers, director of VDL Bus & Coach Nederland. “The bus in question is the recently introduced 11.5-metre length variant, with more seats. For us, this will be the largest electrified regional operation to date. That is very special. On an annual basis, it will be around 100,000 kilometres per bus.”
A first
Arriva Limburg is the first public transport company in the Netherlands to use electric buses for regional lines on a large scale. Romers adds, “A fantastic first. The concept is based on the very positive experience we have had with Arriva in Venlo, where our 9.9-metre-long electric city buses have been running to everyone’s full satisfaction since 2016. For regional transport in Limburg, we will be using a lightweight bus. The vehicles have 42 comfortable seats facing the direction of travel and a capacity of approximately 65 passengers. The action radius is ensured with 180 kWh batteries, which can be charged very quickly. This makes it possible for the buses to travel over 400 kilometres a day.”
Comfort
For the delivery of the 55 VDL Citeas LLE-115 Electric, Arriva has set a number of important requirements for VDL Bus & Coach. Anne Hettinga, chair of the board of directors of Arriva Netherlands, said, “As Arriva Netherlands, we are now taking this step towards electric transport in the region. It is unique in that quiet, clean, comfortable transport is no longer only available for the traveller in the city. Due to the longer distances travelled, comfort is extra important for the regional traveller. In addition to the emphasis on action radius, we also asked for a low entry bus in which many passengers can travel seated in the direction of travel. The low entry and raised rear floor result in flexible layout of the bus seating arrangement.”
95 electric buses
From the end of June, Arriva will have 95 zero-emission buses in service for public transport in Limburg. This is nearly half of Arriva's fleet in the province. “We feel it is important that we continue to make the most of our knowledge and expertise as a European frontrunner in the field of e-mobility,” said Ard Romers, director of VDL Bus & Coach Nederland bv. Since the introduction of the first Citea SLF-120 Electric in 2013, VDL Bus & Coach has focused strongly on electric mobility.
30 million electric kilometres
Today, 400 electric VDL buses in Europe cover an average of 70,000 km in daily operation with zero harmful emissions. During the UITP Global Public Transport Summit, being held this week in Stockholm, VDL Bus & Coach announced that its electric bus fleet has covered more than 30 million kilometres. Compared to conventional diesel buses, this represents a CO2 reduction of 70 tonnes per day, which results in better air quality. Electric buses also provide significant noise reduction, leading to a quieter and healthier living environment.