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29 marzo 2024

Zaragoza moves forward in its bid to be our climate-neutral city with 68 new 100% electric buses

The first of Irizar’s 68 new ‘ie tram’ buses is already on the road. The Mayor of Zaragoza, Jorge Azcón, and the Councilor for Public Services and Mobility, Natalia Chueca, presented today at a press conference this first 100% emission-free bus, which also starts the modernization and electrification process of Zaragoza’s urban bus network.

This modern vehicle, with state-of-the-art aesthetics and technical features, will immediately provide service on line 38 and also on lines 21, 22, 30, 39 and 40, on which it will be alternated so that it can be tested by a large number of users, as well as on routes with different characteristics.

The 68 new buses, as well as the electrification works of the AVANZA depots and the acquisition of two new streetcar units, have been financed through the European Funds of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan managed by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (MITMA). As will be recalled, Zaragoza City Council will receive 30.6 million euros from these funds, ‘which will help to implement real sustainable mobility projects in Zaragoza, necessary investments that will benefit all citizens’, as the Mayor, Jorge Azcón, recalled today.

“with this new bus, the first of 68 to arrive, a profound renovation of the urban transport fleet in the city of Zaragoza begins in a real way, at street level, a before and after that will make our city even more sustainable, with fewer emissions and quieter” Jorge Azcón

COMMITMENT TO A CLIMATE-NEUTRAL CITY

Of the aid approved, 14.6 million euros will go towards the acquisition of the new 68 100% electric buses. This amount represents an average aid of 240,000 euros per bus, the difference in investment between the cost of a hybrid vehicle and a zero-emission model.

“they are part of our goal for Zaragoza to be a climate-neutral city by 2030, in which different municipal services and areas participate” Natalia Chueca

Directly related to this acquisition is the adaptation of Avanza’s depots, which is necessary to have sufficient loading capacity for these new electric buses. In this case, the aid received amounts to 7.64 million euros, practically 90% of the entire investment required. These works are well advanced, so that they can provide the necessary recharging service to the new buses as they are incorporated.

Finally, the other major block of aid will go to the acquisition of two new Tramway units which will be used to reinforce the service, especially at peak hours. 8.38 million euros are earmarked for this purpose, which also represents around 90% of the planned investment.

For Natalia Chueca, ‘Zaragoza has managed, thanks to the fact that we had worked on these projects well in advance, to make this leap to the electrification of the urban bus fleet and the improvement of capacity on the streetcar line possible. These are not, in any case, isolated proposals: they are part of our goal for Zaragoza to be a climate-neutral city by 2030, in which different municipal services and areas participate’.

A STATE-OF-THE-ART BUS

The Irizar ‘ie tram’ is a 100% zero-emission electric bus with the aesthetic attributes of a streetcar that combines the large capacity, ease of access and interior circulation of a streetcar with the flexibility of a city bus. The model that now arrives in Zaragoza is 12 meters long and has an on-board battery capacity of 430kWh, which gives it a range of around 220kms.

It has been designed with a 240kW electric motor and a double charging system -both by inverted pantograph and by hose- with a power of 150kW. It is equipped with a double ramp (electric and manual) and has a capacity for 78 passengers – 26 seated and 52 standing – as well as two wheelchairs.

In a few weeks, another 18-meter articulated model will also be available. The forecasts agreed between the City Council, the concessionaire AVANZA and Irizar indicate that a total of 6 twelve-meter ie tram and 4 articulated models could be delivered by mid-October.

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