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New electric mobility solution, from Alstom, is in test operation in Spain

Posted: 18 January 2019 | | No comments yet

Thanks to reduced maintenance and operating costs, and a 20 year service life, the total cost of ownership of Aptis is equivalent to that of current diesel buses.

aptis

Alstom is sending Aptis, a new experience of mobility, on a six-week roadshow in Spain.

The ‘game-changing’ electric bus will be tested with local transport companies in Barcelona, Madrid and Vigo. The first operational test starts in January in Barcelona Metropolitan Area, before going to Madrid on 4 February. The roadshow then continues in Vigo from 14-22 February.

“We are pleased that Aptis is raising interest among Spanish cities with its ground-breaking features. This Spanish roadshow is a great opportunity to once again demonstrate unique insertion capacities within new urban environments. It wouldn’t have been possible without a real interest from the Spanish urban authorities for modern solutions serving tomorrow’s mobility,” said Antonio Moreno, President of Alstom in Spain.

The tests, conducted in the customer depots and under real operating conditions, are designed to evaluate the specific characteristics of Aptis in a new urban setting, its charging system, its autonomy, and its insertion performance in traffic following the first successful tests in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

Aptis, inspired by the tram, provides a comfortable passenger experience. Low floors throughout the vehicle and wide double doors allow smooth passenger flows and easy access for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Panoramic windows at the front and rear of the bus provide 20 per cent more window surfaces than a conventional bus, as well as a lounge area at the rear.

The vehicle fits perfectly into the urban environment thanks to its two steerable axles that minimise the turning radius and the footprint on the road (-25 per cent compared to a conventional bus). This performance is an advantage especially at bus stops, where an automatic parking system has been developed, reducing the space required for parking and increasing accessibility for passengers. At night, Aptis can be recharged inside the depot. Alstom also provides a daytime charging solution at the end of each line. Rapid charging is carried out either via an inverted pantograph or via SRS, Alstom’s ground-based static charging system.