Arriva ordered electric buses from VDL Bus & Coach to strengthen its zero-emission bus fleet in the Netherlands. Arriva has ordered 64 electric buses to enter service in the company’s North Brabant East concession.
40 VDL Citea buses of type LF-122 and four articulated buses of type LF-181 will be used for public transport in Tilburg. The order also includes 20 Citea LE-135s to run on the overhead line between Uden-Veghel-Eindhoven and Uden-Veghel-Den Bosch.
VDL introduced the new Citea line in May 2021 with lengths of 12.2 meters (“LF-122” with low entry), 13.5 meters (LE-135), 14.9 meters (LE-149) and 18.1 meters ( LF-181). All Citea VDL models have a range from 500 to 600 kilometers.
All 64 new vehicles have left and right CCS Combo 2 charging sockets for flexibility at depot locations. Arriva also includes an ISO ePM1 filter in the passenger compartment, including a virus filter and camera monitoring system for safety purposes.
Arriva is the first public transport company in the Netherlands to operate electric buses for regional transportation.
Jan Pieter Been, regional director of Arriva South, commented today, “As one of the largest public transport operators in the Netherlands, we have a name to uphold.” He also mentioned a completely carbon-free target by 2027. “We will achieve 90% of this through the transition to zero emissions and the last 10% by offsetting,” he said.
North Brabant shares the same ambition and wants zero emissions from public transport by 2030. Deputy Suzanne Otters-Bruijnen said the 64 buses were “another big step towards” the goal. “As it happens, by the end of 2023, 1 in 4 buses will already use electricity, which is good news,” she said.
VDL Bus & Coach receives order for 84 Electric Buses from GVB Amsterdam
