Brussels local transport company MIVB has taken receipt of the first next generation electric bus in the capital. The bus is the first from an order of 70 articulated, all-electric buses. The new electric buses should enable the company to meet the new Low Emission Zone (LEZ) standards that come into force on 1 January 2025.
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First of 70 new fully-electric articulated buses arrives in Brussels
Colin Clapson
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The new buses will allow the company to get rid of the last outdated buses that will no longer meet LEZ standards when regulations governing the Brussels low-emission zone get tighter. ‘By 2035, all 850 of our buses will have to have been replaced by fully electric ones. This order means that we have nearly accomplished a tenth of that goal,’ says MIVB CEO Brieuc de Meeûs.
The next generation bus was unveiled at the Marly bus depot in Neder-Over-Heembeek (City of Brussels) on Wednesday. The depot is being expanded and redeveloped to in time accommodate only all-electric buses. The one delivered today is an eCitaro model manufactured by Mercedes-Benz. It cost €820,000 and will be tested in the coming weeks.
The aim is to put the bus into service during the second half of September. An additional 55 all-electric buses will enter service this year. The others will be delivered gradually next year and in 2026.
More charging points
The buses have a range of 200 kilometres. That is insufficient for a full day’s service and that means they will have to recharge at the terminus. The MIVB is equipping termini with more charging points especially for that purpose. Most of the refurbishment work should be completed by the end of 2024.
Further electrification work will be completed at the depots. The Haren and Jacques Brel depots are already partly electrified, but the Marly depot will also be made fully-electric in time. It will eventually extend over an area of 35,000 m2 and will be able to accommodate more than 200 electric buses.
The bus company currently possesses 37 all-electric buses, including five minibuses operating in the city centre. The new buses will be used on line 46 (Moortebeek-Pannenhuis), line 53 (Westland-Shopping-Military Hospital), line 87 (Simonis-Beekkant) and line 89 (Westland-Shopping-Central Station).