Irizar announced that the order from Zaragoza is the largest electric bus project for the manufacturer to date. Zaragoza, or local operator Avanza, has ordered 51 12-meter buses and 17 articulated vehicles. Just recently, Zaragoza’s city council officially presented the new electric bus model Irizar e-mobility ie streetcar: It is an e-bus with the appearance of a streetcar. A test vehicle is now scheduled to travel around the city for three weeks, serving various lines designed to operate with double buses. According to a press release, the bus will also significantly change the aesthetics of city buses in Zaragoza.
The Irizar ie combines the large passenger space, easy boarding and interior design of a streetcar with the flexibility of a city bus. It will be offered from a 12-meter model to an 18-meter articulated version and can carry up to 145 passengers.
Support from the EU
Zaragoza’s switch to electric buses is guided by the «Revitalization, Transformation and Resilience Plan» under the EU’s Next Generation package. This gives the city access to EU funding and, in this sense, the choice of a European company for the supply of these buses is crucial to qualify for these European funds with extended guarantees, informed Irizar.
