Two and half years after contract award, Brisbane Metro’s much-anticipated vehicle, the lighTram® 25, built and designed by Swiss vehicle manufacturer HESS, has arrived in Brisbane.
The 24.5-metre bi-articulated, battery electric pilot vehicle will go through an extensive testing and acceptance process, including on-road testing on Brisbane’s busways, and assessment of flash-charging capabilities.
The battery-electric model lighTram® 25 design had been tried and tested on the streets of Nantes, France’s sixth largest city, however, there are a few significant differences between that model and the one that would operate in Brisbane, higlights Alex Naef, CEO of Carrosserie HESS AG.
“Intense rainfall and humidity are part of the Brisbane climate, which meant certain design changes were needed, including new floor materials that resist water ingress and special ducts to channel excess water beyond the vehicle.
“The varying temperatures [compared with France] required a powerful air-conditioning system along with a function known as pre-conditioning. Pre-conditioning automatically prepares the vehicle, raising the internal temperature to a level that is immediately comfortable to the driver and passengers.”
HESS, which will employ a full-time service engineer in Brisbane to support the pilot vehicle, will partner with local bus manufacturer Volgren. After completion of the tests, the 59 production cars are to be delivered to Australia.
We had reported on the Metro Brisbane system in detail here:
