Public transport operator Busitalia, through its subsidiary Busitalia Veneto, has introduced 19 new battery-electric buses into service in the northern Italian city of Rovigo, increasing the city’s electric bus fleet to 25 vehicles, all supplied by manufacturer Iveco.
Busitalia Veneto invested a total of €9.88 million for the recent acquisition of the 19 e-buses, a purchase partially funded by the European Union and the Italian government. In addition to the urban fleet expansion, the operator this year purchased 16 hybrid intercity buses for the Rovigo area and has approved the purchase of twelve more fully electric intercity buses for next year.
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A central element of the city’s electrification effort is the modernization of the bus depot in Via Petrarca. A two-megawatt charging system with 30 charging stations has been installed to support the electric city buses, enabling overnight charging for the entire fleet. Busitalia Veneto confirmed its commitment to sustainable mobility. “Busitalia Veneto continues to commit to integrated and sustainable mobility in line with European decarbonisation goals,” the company stated.
The expanded Rovigo city fleet primarily consists of the Iveco E-Way model, with the city now operating 17 solo buses in the 12-meter configuration and eight midibuses measuring 9.5 meters. Regardless of the size, the procured vehicles offer a stated range of up to 300 kilometers.
The recent bus acquisition is part of a 2023 framework agreement between the Busitalia Group and Iveco, which stipulated the potential delivery of up to 150 fully electric E-Way city buses by the end of 2025 for use across Busitalia’s individual subsidiaries.
Gino Colella, CEO and Managing Director of Busitalia Veneto, highlighted the strategic nature of the upgrades. “The new battery-electric buses, combined with the complete refurbishment of the bus depot in Via Petrarca and the transition of the intercity bus fleet to hybrid vehicles, provide a technology mix that delivers high performance while significantly reducing environmental impact,” said Colella.