Brussels public transport operator STIB showcased the first fully electric bendy bus at the depot in Marly, in the municipality of Neder-Over-Heembeek, on Wednesday.
With an order for 70 new electric vehicles, the new fleet will allow the company to phase out their non-Euro 5 compliant buses by 1 January 2025, explained STIB in a press release. By 2035, the company expects its buses to be fully replaced by electric ones.
"Converting all our buses to a zero-emission fleet is our goal for the coming years. This order for 70 new electric articulated buses is the first of its kind and marks a major step in that direction," stated STIB's CEO Brieuc de Meeûs.
The delivered model, a Mercedes-Benz eCitaro, comes with a €820,000 price tag. It is scheduled for testing in Marly over the coming weeks and is expected to be operational by late September. Approximately 55 additional units are slated for delivery this year, with the remainder to be gradually introduced through 2026.
Inside of STIB's first eCitaro electric articulated bus at the Marly depot. Credit: Belga/Lou Lampaert
The new buses have a range of 200 kilometres, insufficient for a full service, necessitating charging at end points.
For this purpose, STIB is equipping these locations with charging stations. Most of the redevelopment work should be completed by the end of 2024, including further electrification of the depots.
While depots in Haren and Jacques Brel are already partly electrified, Marly is slated to go fully electric. The latter will eventually span 35,000 square metres, housing more than 200 electric buses.
Currently, STIB has 37 fully electric buses, including five minibuses operating in the city centre. The new vehicles will be deployed on routes 46 (Moortebeek-Pannenhuis), 53 (Westland Shopping-Military Hospital), 87 (Simonis-Beekkant), and 89 (Westland Shopping-Central Station).
