Today in Esslingen am Neckar, Baden-Württemberg, Škoda Group unveiled the first two of what will eventually be 52 new battery-powered trolleybuses, which are set to enable fully electric, locally emission-free public transport in this town of 96,000 inhabitants in just a few months’ time. The ambitious project is due to be completed by the end of this year.
The order comprises ten 12-metre Škoda 32Tr battery trolleybuses and 42 18-metre Škoda 33Tr articulated battery trolleybuses. The contract also includes an option for the delivery of nine further vehicles of the same type. We already reported here:
The new vehicles combine operation under the overhead line with battery-powered driving outside the overhead line network and have a range of up to 25 kilometres. The batteries are then recharged on the sections of the route with overhead lines, without any loss of time due to charging breaks at terminals. The batteries themselves can also be significantly smaller and lighter than is the case with purely battery-powered buses. This technology – “In-Motion Charging” – enables the city to expand clean electric transport even on sections of route where no overhead line infrastructure is yet in place. The 52 vehicles will be delivered in stages by the end of 2026.
The overall project involves the long-term development of trolleybus transport in Esslingen, where trolleybuses have been operating since 1944. DUO buses with auxiliary diesel engines were already in service on the city’s roads between 1978 and 2008. The approximately 29-kilometre-long trolleybus network is currently being extended to include further sections, and the conditions for electric operation are being created on all local public transport routes. Thanks to the use of electric propulsion and green electricity supplied by Esslingen Municipal Utilities, public transport is set to be not only emission-free at the point of use but also climate-friendly in terms of the electricity used.
The new battery-powered trolleybuses are fully tailored to the needs and requirements of the Esslingen am Neckar Municipal Transport Authority (Städtischer Verkehrsbetrieb Esslingen am Neckar – SVE). Passengers are offered barrier-free access, contemporary comfort, modern information systems and Wi-Fi access. The 12-metre-long Škoda 32Tr vehicles are being supplied in a two-door version, whilst the 18-metre-long Škoda 33Tr articulated buses are being supplied in a three-door version. The bodywork is supplied by the Czech manufacturer SOR. The specifications also include more comfortable passenger seats, as are typically used in inter-city transport, an electric ramp for passengers with pushchairs or wheelchairs, and modern diagnostic systems, including the option of remote maintenance access. The vehicles are fitted with energy recovery technology, which feeds some of the braking energy back into the batteries during braking – for example, when travelling downhill – thereby contributing to greater energy efficiency during operation.
Thanks to the traction batteries, the vehicles can be operated not only under overhead lines but also autonomously outside the overhead line network, covering up to 25 kilometres without recharging. This concept enables flexible deployment of the vehicles during service disruptions, diversions and on routes or sections without overhead lines. The articulated trolleybuses are equipped with a twin-motor drive system with two driven axles, which contributes to higher performance and reliable operation even on more challenging terrain.
Skoda’s scope of supply includes a comprehensive service package that ensures the long-term operational reliability of the vehicles.
The new battery-powered trolleybuses are fitted with the Eberspächer AC135-230 roof-mounted air conditioning system.
