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Irizar e-mobility carries on reaping success in France. They have just signed a contract for 15 Irizar Ie tram zero emissions buses for the city of Aix en Provence.

Irizar e-mobility carries on reaping success in France. They have just signed a contract for 15 Irizar Ie tram zero emissions buses for the city of Aix en Provence.

Irizar e-mobility, a company that provides integral electro-mobility solutions for cities, has just signed a contract with RDT 13 that includes the delivery of and maintenance for 15 twelve metre Irizar ie tram zero emissions buses with charging infrastructure.

These high service level (BHNS) buses, which have been called L’Aixpress will join the western part of the city of Aix en Provence with the southern part. The line will run 7.2 km between the Krypton car park and the Saint-Mitre park and it will include 19 stops with approximately 350 m between them. The buses will leave every 5 minutes and will cover city focal points like the university, the SNCF train station, the Rotonde plaza, the bus station and ZAC Jas-de-Bouffan. They will provide an attractive, innovative and efficient alternative solution to private cars.

This project will include the installation of pantograph type opportunity charging stations at the beginning and end of each line and other smart charging stations in the depot.

The Irizar ie tram (12 metres long in this case), is a product that uses Irizar Group technology for the electronics and communications as well as the primary vehicle systems: power train, battery modules and charging systems.

The first vehicle will be delivered in April, 2019 and the rest will be put into service in September of the same year, as soon as the BHNS L'Aixpress line is operational.

Sources from RDT 13 remark that, |Choosing the Irizar brand of buses is an acknowledgement of their exemplary environmental stance insofar as the buses are zero emissions and come supplied with batteries that can be recharged in less than 4 minutes. This is an unprecedented technological advancement and it is in line with the city of Aix-Marseille-Provence's commitment to environment protection and quality of life.  

They likewise note that |the urban transit line, which is a link in the future express metropolitan network, will guarantee the comfort and safety of passengers in addition to the frequency and range of service. In addition to the technical capacities of the Irizar ie tram vehicles, close attention has been paid to harmoniously integrating it into the urban landscape of Aix. en provence|.

Project information

  • Vehicles: 12-metre-long Irizar ie tram

  • Seating for 22 (1 PRM, 4 priority seats and 1 space for a pram) 78 person capacity (4 people/m2 (max: 90 people)

  • More than 50 kilometres autonomy in complex conditions (max speed: 70 km/h)

  • 3 doors and 9 security cameras

  • Large window area

  • Cameras instead of rear view mirrors

  • Connected vehicle:Every vehicle will be equipped with USB ports in the seats and bars for charging phones and WiFi for passengers.

  • Vehicle charging::The vehicles will be charged at designated points along their routes and they will be charged at night in the RDT13 depot in Pont de L’Arc.