Iveco Group, a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles and industrial engines, has opened a new bus plant in Foggia, Italy, marking the return of bus production to the country after a decade-long hiatus. The plant, which was inaugurated eight months after the foundation stone was laid, will produce battery and fuel cell buses, among other products.
Iveco’s decision to manufacture buses in Italy again was announced less than a year ago, and the company can now build up to 1,000 buses per year in Foggia. Although Iveco has not revealed the proportion of electric buses that will be produced at the new plant, the company has confirmed that it will retain the capacity to manufacture combustion engine models.
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The new plant is a significant investment for Iveco, with around 40 million euros invested in its construction. While the chassis and frames of the vehicles will be sourced from other European plants, the Foggia facility will handle final assembly, demonstrating Iveco’s commitment to maintaining and strengthening its presence in Italy.
Iveco stopped producing buses in Italy in 2011, but the company’s decision to re-enter the market is a clear indication of the growing demand for sustainable transportation options. Among other products, Iveco’s range includes the twelve-metre E-Way solo bus with battery-electric drive and the Iveco Bus Crossway LE Electric, an electric city and intercity bus.
The manufacturer has also announced that fuel cell systems for future hydrogen buses will be sourced from Hyundai subsidiary HTWO. This partnership is expected to play a key role in the company’s efforts to provide the Italian public transport sector with the most technologically advanced and environmentally sustainable vehicles.
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Gerrit Marx, CEO of the Iveco Group, said, “The new Iveco Bus plant in Foggia represents an important investment for Iveco Group, which is fully in line with our strategy to maintain and strengthen our presence in Italy at centres of excellence like our historic engine plant in Foggia. It is, therefore, with pride and pleasure that today we concretely mark the return of our bus production to Italy. In this way, we will provide the Italian public transport sector with our most technologically advanced and environmentally sustainable vehicles.” With the opening of its new bus plant, Iveco is poised to play a leading role in the transformation of Italy’s public transport sector, providing sustainable mobility solutions that meet the needs of today’s passengers while protecting the environment for future generations.
