The public transportation company in Pilsen, Czech Republic, known as PMDP, has signed a framework agreement with the Skoda Group for a potential total of 53 new trolleybuses.
The contract initially includes orders for nine Skoda 26Tr trolleybuses, which are 12 meters long, and four Skoda 27Tr articulated trolleybuses, which are 18 meters long. The nine 26Trs are expected to be in service between 2023 and 2025, while the four 27Trs are scheduled to be delivered in 2025.
The framework agreement also allows for the option to order an additional 24 26Tr trolleybuses and up to 16 more 27Tr trolleybuses by 2030. The total value of the contract is estimated to be 37.4 million euros.
The Skoda Group has created two new trolleybus models based on Solaris bodies, both of which are equipped with a traction battery that allows them to operate on routes without overhead lines. However, the manufacturer has not disclosed the size of the battery or the resulting range.
Petr Novotný, President of Components & Bus Mobility at the Skoda Group, highlighted the close relationship between the company and the city of Pilsen, where the Skoda Group is based. In October 2022, the transportation company in the Czech city of Ústí nad Labem ordered 33 27Tr trolleybuses from the Skoda Group, with a total value of 26.5 million euros (about 800,000 euros per vehicle).
These trolleybuses are set to be delivered in 2023. It is important to note that the Skoda Group, also known as Skoda Transportation, is not part of the Volkswagen Group but rather belongs to the PPF Group, a Czech company led by Petr Kellner. Despite sharing a common origin with Skoda Cars, the Skoda Group is a separate entity.