Belgium public transport operator De Lijn has awarded a framework agreement for 100 vehicles to the Spanish bus builder Irizar e-Mobility. The quotation from the Spanish supplier Irizar e-Mobility, manufacturer of electric vehicles within the Irizar Group, was according to De Lijn the best ranked in this tender procedure. Of the eight selected candidate tenderers, three submitted a tender. These all met the minimum requirements of the specifications. Irizar was the strongest candidate.
“The buses will be used on a number of lines in Flanders, the Flemish speaking part of Belgium. It are so-called HOV connections, High-Quality Public Transport (HOV). These are connections with additional flow measures that bring travellers to their destination smoothly and faster over often greater distances. They are therefore a good solution to compensate for the underdevelopment of the rail network in the Belgium province Limburg”, according to the Flemish Minister of Mobility. “With this framework agreement the transport company can order plenty of new e-buses in the coming years and
continue the greening of the bus fleet." The Irizar e-buses for High-Quality Public Transport (HOV) have an interior design that is even more focused on the comfort of travellers than the regular e-buses, states De Lijn. Besides USB charging points for mobile phones, there are also mobile phone holders and reading lights. There are also seats with a higher backrest. Natural light enters the interior through lower and additional glass panels. The harmonica section with a hip support gives a particularly open and light feeling to the travellers and these vehicles have an electrically operated ramp.