Skoda Group has signed a framework agreement with the public transport company of Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic, for the delivery of up to 30 new articulated trolleybuses, along with six charging stations. The deal, valued at approximately 650 million Czech koruna (€26.7 million), will further modernize and expand the city’s electric public transport network.
Ústí nad Labem operates one of the newest trolleybus systems in the Czech Republic, inaugurated in 1988, and has since developed into what Skoda described as the “backbone of local public transport.” The network covers most of the city and plays a key role in connecting hilly districts where conventional transport options are less effective. Ongoing modernization efforts include expanding battery-electric trolleybus routes to improve connections to the city’s outskirts.
By the end of 2024, local transport operator DMÚL had a fleet of 75 trolleybuses, all supplied by Skoda Group. The newly signed framework agreement extends this partnership, although delivery timelines for the new vehicles and charging stations have not been disclosed.
The new vehicles will be 18-metre-long Skoda 33Tr articulated trolleybuses, each powered by two 160 kW electric motors for a total output of 320 kW. Energy is primarily supplied through overhead lines operating at 600 volts, while an onboard 57 kWh traction battery enables up to 12 kilometres of operation without overhead wires. The battery can also be charged via CCS, and the buses will feature advanced safety and comfort systems to enhance passenger and driver experience.