Škoda has won a contract for fourteen new electric buses for the Prague Transportation Company.
The capital will acquire a fleet of modern environmentally friendly vehicles that do not produce carbon dioxide emissions and thus contribute to cleaner air and a more harmonious environment in the city.
The value of the contract, including possible options, is worth up to 207 million crowns, and this will be the first delivery of electric buses carried out by Škoda in cooperation with its Turkish affiliate Temsa.
“We will supply vehicles to our capital that do not burden the environment in any way, that operate quietly, and, in addition, have low operating costs, making their operation sustainable in the long run. It will be a new 12-meter completely low-floor bus with comfortable equipment like full-vehicle air conditioning, comfortable seats, a sophisticated information system, and advanced energy management of the entire vehicle fleet,” says Chairman of the Board and President of Škoda Transportation Petr Brzezina.
The delivery also includes a possible option for technical support for the future development of other information system and energy management functions (e.g. remote monitoring of consumption or checking battery status) or battery replacements during the projected life of the buses.
Škoda will deliver a complete fleet of electric buses twelve months after signing the contract. This is the first order for electric buses where Škoda will cooperate with its Turkish affiliate Temsa.
During the day, when the bus is running, recharging will be done from the existing tram line with the help of a pantograph.
This type of charging is currently planned for 15-30 minutes at one end station, replenishing part of the total battery capacity and allowing the bus to complete the next circuit. The advantage of this design is having ideal control of the bus’s energy balance, as well as the low cost of the charging infrastructure.
Technical information about the E’City electric bus
This new electric bus for a Prague transport company is 12 meters long, and its design speed is 80 km/h. E’City is a fully low-floor, emission-free, battery-powered vehicle that has a guaranteed range of more than 100 kilometers on a single charge.
Its charging power is up to 150kW, and charging takes place using a double arm pantograph located on the vehicle and an on-board galvanically isolated charger directly from the 600V/750V DC network.
There is also the option of plug-in overnight charging in the depot from a socket. Air conditioning and heating are also purely electronic, and the driver’s cab is closed due to higher safety requirements.
There is naturally also a space for prams and wheelchairs, as well as places for people with reduced mobility. The electric bus will be equipped with a modern information and check-in system, including automatic passenger counting and equipment for the blind. There will also be a camera system for passenger safety.
