Dutch public transport operator Hermes Groep N.V., a 100% subsidiary of Connexxion since 2007, which in turn is partially owned by French Transdev group, have signed a contract with Solaris Bus & Coach sp. z o.o. for the delivery of ten Trollino 18 in MetroStyle design. This is the first trolleybus order placed with Solaris in the Netherlands, and it will also be the first time that the MetroStyle version will be built as an 18-metre articulated trolleybus. Traction batteries with a capacity of about 90 kWh are provided for longer trips off the overhead line. This will allow the vehicles to cover a range of several dozen kilometres without an overhead line infrastructure. The batteries will be charged during the journey under the overhead line using in-motion charging technology. The Solaris Trollino 18 will be powered by a 240 kW electric motor.
The battery trolleybuses are for operation on the approximately 17 km long ‚high-quality‘ bus route 352 from Arnhem via Oosterbeek, Heelsum and Renkum to Wageningen. Up to Oosterbeek, the overhead line of the former trolleybus line 1 is used for charging for about 4½ km. In a second phase, the HOV line will be continued from Wageningen to Ede-Wageningen station, about 7 km away. Line 352 will run from Wageningen every 10 minutes at 27 minutes from 7:00 to 8:50 and between 15:20 and 18:50, and every 15 minutes in between.
Conversion to all-electric operation is now ready to start after lengthy negotiations between the province of Gelderland (contracting authority for public transport in the Arnhem-Nijmegen region), the municipalities of Arnhem, Renkum, Wageningen and the transport company Hermes. The battery share of 75% (or later 82%) will be possible thanks to traction batteries with a capacity of approximately 90 kWh. The ten articulated wagons are expected to be delivered in spring 2024. From a date to be determined, they will then run on the Rijnlijn 352.
(published in a similar format at: trolley:motion)
05.10.2022
