Spanish city of Zaragoza to acquire 4 electric buses
Jorge Azcón, the Mayor of Zaragoza and Natalia Chueca, the Minister of Public Services and Mobility, announced that 17 new hybrid vehicles of the Volvo 7905 model will be incorporated into lines 42, 44, 52 and 53 in the Spanish city.
The city also plans to incorporate 4 electric and 18 articulated hybrid buses in September this year.
This will be the first time that the network of buses in Zaragoza will officially have buses without a combustion engine in its service. The electric buses have so far been running as a part of a testing programme in the city. The decision of the Government was announced during the presentation of 17 new hybrid buses that are already incorporated into the fleet of a local operator, Avanza.
Hybrid buses contribute to improving the environmental impact in the city, reducing CO2 emissions by 30% and NOx and PM10 emissions by more than 95%, directly impacting air quality. On the other hand, noise pollution in Zaragoza will also be minimised.
The 17 new hybrid vehicles correspond to the Volvo 7905 Hybrid model, which stand out for the different technical aspects of energy efficiency. The structure of the body and the roof are made of aluminium, which can be recycled up to 90% and also provides a weight reduction that translates into fuel savings. The auxiliary systems (doors, air conditioning, power steering, brakes) are electrically operated, which results in fuel savings and makes the bus fully operational even when the diesel engine is off.
The buses include two sets of batteries to increase uptime and extend the life of the batteries. One of the sets is reserved exclusively for starting the engine and ensuring a fully charged battery at all times. The other set is reserved for the other electrical systems. The combustion engine complies with the European emission regulations (Euro VI). The bus also includes a ramp making it more accessible for people with mobility problems, baby carriages, etc.
The all electric buses acquisition approved by the Government of Zaragoza include vehicles from two different manufacturers, two BYD K9UB and two other IRIZAR ie BUS. The acquisition of these vehicles involves an investment of around €2.8 million ($3.1 million) which will be carried out through a 10-year programme.
Both the City Council of Zaragoza and Avanza have reiterated their commitment to the use of clean technologies, which contribute to less pollution, noise and improvement in the quality and efficiency of public transport in Zaragoza.
Spanish city of Zaragoza to acquire 4 electric buses
Modified on Friday 9th August 2019
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Spanish city of Zaragoza to acquire 4 electric buses