A total of 68 full electric buses will be purchased by the city of Zaragoza, to gradually replace part of the existing bus fleet. The first new e-buses will start revenue service in the final quarter of 2022 and will be operated by Avanza. For Irizar e-mobility’s it is the largest electrical bus order so far. 51 units will be of 12 metres length and the remaining 17 will be 18 metres long articulated vehicles. Irizar will supply its “ie tram” model which is already in service with a number of operators elsewhere: https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/keolis-opens-second-brt-line-in-the-bayonne-biarritz-region/
Zaragoza City council presented this new electric bus model which will form the basis of its fleet renewal from the end of next year. Irizar e-mobility “ie tram” is a 100% electric bus with a futuristic interior and external design. It offers a 145 passenger capacity. Its Lithium-Ion batteries are developed and manufactured by Irizar. This vehicle will undergo testing throughout the city over the next 3 weeks and will operate on different lines with capacity to operate with double buses, such as on line 23.
The Government of Zaragoza recently took the decision that all new urban buses added to the bus service in Zaragoza will be electric, as part of the commitment to become a climate-neutral city. The city currently has 4 of these zero emissions buses plus 111 hybrid units. The rest, up to 352, are diesel.
The transition towards an electric fleet is in line with the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, under the Next Generation EU package, which will be eligible for European funding and will put Zaragoza in a good position for access to grants in future bidding rounds. It is in this specific sense that the choice of a European company to supply these buses is decisive in order to qualify for these European funds, with enhanced guarantees. This was a major factor in Zaragoza City Council’s decision to go for Irizar’s ie tram.
