VDL Bus & Coach participates in ZeEUS

On 23 January 2014, UITP (International Association of Public Transport) has launched the project ‘Zero Emission Urban Bus System (ZeEUS)’. This ground-breaking 42-month project aims at promoting electric buses and contributes to their introduction in Europe through extensive demonstrations. This significant UITP initiative is co-funded by the DG Mobility and Transport of the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration. VDL Bus & Coach participates with the VDL Citea Electric.

ZeEUS

UITP is coordinating a range of 40 partners from public transport operators and authorities to bus manufacturers, universities and even electric utility companies to demonstrate and evaluate electric vehicles of large capacity under real operational conditions. Also, infrastructure capable of providing the required charging energy to electric buses will be operated.
Innovative electric bus solutions with different electric power-train systems will be tested for 3 years in real operational scenarios in 8 European cities. ZeEUS’ analyses will help develop guidelines, tools and standardization concepts to support stakeholders in introducing electrified bus systems in their own cities.

Electrification of urban bus systems

VDL Bus & Coach believes in the electrification of urban bus systems. This is one of the reasons to participate in the ZeEUS project. The demand for electric city buses will grow in the coming years. The white book and focus of cities for reducing emissions is very clear. Public transport will and has to contribute to a better environment in the inner cities. The ZeEUS project will present in a lot of practical information about electrification of urban bus systems. This will boost the much needed developments.

VDL Bus & Coach participates in the project for the city of Münster in Germany. This medium size city of 300,000 habitants, is an ideal site for a demonstration with a high capacity (approx. 85 passengers) battery-bus with true fast charging. The VDL Citea Electric is optimally suited for this job and will be deployed on bus-route 14. The 2 end stations of this route have fast charging stations. An extra fast charging station is available in the bus depot.