This week you might have the chance to see a new Electrobus drive around the streets of Zug, and next week in Lucerne.
The project started earlier this year, as the Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern (VBL) and the Zugerland Verkehrsbetriebe (ZVB), the authorities for public transportations in both cities, have identified an electric prototype from Poland to be tested first in Lucerne. The electric busses designed by the Polish firm Solaris have been used since 2014 in Norway, Germany or Poland, and are now tested to possibly be introduced in Switzerland as part of the regional and local electro-mobility strategies (for more details, read article from the Luzern Zeitung here - in German only).
While the electric bus has been proven efficient in other cities and countries, it is yet to be tested in the local Swiss traffic to ensure it covers the actual transportation needs and standards and fulfills customers' expectations. For this test, the chosen prototype is 12 meters long and can accommodate 31 seating passengers and 41 standing ones. With a 100% electric-driven battery of 240 kW it is expected to drive 24 hours before requiring to be charged again.
If successful, the outcomes of this testing phase will be integrated within the electro-mobility strategy for the coming years and complement the ongoing investigations on autonomous transportation in the region.
Pic and original article/ Luzen Zeitung, 02-07-2018