Iveco has announced a record order for its hybrid Diesel-electric buses: with 102 vehicles, 41 standard and 61 articulated, the French city of Dijon has signed Europe’s largest single order for hybrid buses.
Produced in the Iveco Irisbus factory in Annonay, France, the hybrid Diesel-electric buses are available as complete vehicles (the Citelis 12 and 18 metre models) or as a chassis and bodywork produced in Rorthais under the name of Access'Bus GX 327 and GX 427.
This record order for the city of Dijon highlights and confirms the positive increase in numbers of hybrid Diesel-electric vehicles operating in France. Prior to this order, Iveco has delivered fifteen hybrid Diesel-electric buses and received more than 170 orders. Since February 2011 hybrid vehicles have been delivered to and are operating in Poitiers, Toulon, Monza, Paris and on the island of La Reunion. The orders on the other hand concern vehicles for the networks in Rouen, Annecy, Dijon and Bordeaux.
Franco Miniero, Iveco Vice President of the Bus Range, stated: "We are very proud to be key players in the spread of hybrid vehicles in Europe. With the Citelis and Access'Bus GX ranges of hybrid vehicles, in the 12 and 18 metre versions, we supply our customers with efficient vehicles in terms of comfort, energy savings and reduction in emissions. Additionally, thanks to our close collaboration with BAE Systems, our vehicles are fitted with well consolidated technology that has already been widely used in North America and the United Kingdom”.
Also in France, in Orleans, a partnership has been established with Keolis for the use of a 12-metre hybrid bus for three years. Meanwhile, in Canada, STM (Société de Transport de Montréal) and RTL (Réseau de Transport de Longueuil) will test an 18-metre Citelis hybrid bus for a number of months on their urban networks.
Citelis hybrid vehicles are also being tested in partnership with different European operators, including Vienna in Austria.
Iveco Irisbus hybrid buses: an efficient and reliable architecture
Following its vocation as an innovative manufacturer ready to respond to the increasingly frequent demands for vehicles that respect the environment and natural resources, Iveco Irisbus supplies the range of Citelis vehicles, in 12 and 18 metre versions, with a new generation powertrain that looks to the future: the hybrid system.
Developed through a collaborative agreement with BAE Systems for the supply of electric drive line components, the serial hybrid with Diesel-electric propulsion links a 6-litre Tector small displacement Diesel engine produced by FPT Industrial with an electric engine/generator that recovers the energy accumulated during deceleration.
The Diesel engine has a 25% reduced displacement compared to the engine equipping a traditional vehicle in the same range. The generator, coupled to the Diesel engine, supplies electricity avoiding the use of the starter motor, alternator and belts. The high power electric motor delivers traction to the vehicle through the axle, which is identical to that in Diesel models. This serial hybrid architecture has led to the elimination of the gear box. The latest generation lithium ion batteries accumulate energy during deceleration and relay it during acceleration.
The environmental results are very satisfactory, with an average reduction in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption from 25 up to 35%. We have to remind that with such a reduction of 35% in fuel consumption, savings can be made around 500 grams of CO2 per kilometre. Considering an annual utilisation of 50,000 km (average for city buses), this means a reduction of 25 tonnes of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
Drivers have paid testimony to the ease of driving these vehicles and also to its comfort, power and flexibility. A high comfort level is also guaranteed to passengers by the fact that the vehicle has a good restart which is at the same time progressive but smooth.
