ZeEUS – Zero Emission Urban Bus System

We are very pleased to announce that the first of the two 12 m IRIZAR electric buses, part of ZeEUS (a project coordinated by UITP and co-funded by the European Commission under the 7th Research & Innovation Framework Programme), has entered into service in Barcelona!

The bus, manufactured by IRIZAR, runs on the line 20 and is among the first 100% electric buses produced in Europe. With a capacity of 78 passengers and a 230kw engine it is powered by sodium nickel batteries, which give a 200-250 km autonomy. In the following weeks it will be tested along H14, in the newly developed bus grid network, with slow DC charging overnight at the bus depot. The official launch event will take place on the 14th of October in the city centre. 

Barcelona is the first of the eight European cities to start testing the electric buses within the ZeEUS project that aims to be the main EU activity to extend the fully-electric solution to the core part of the urban bus network.
The Barcelona Demo Team is lead by the Public Transport Operator - Transport de Barcelona [TMB] and includes ENDESA, ENIDE, UPC, IDIADA, GMV and IRIZAR.

After Barcelona it will be Stockholm’s turn to host the second ZeEUS demonstration at the end of October 2014 (with the buses hoping to hit the streets in December with an official launch event before).

Have you seen the electric bus on the streets? We are waiting your comments, pictures and suggestions! Do not hesitate to write us on Facebook or Twitter.