In May 2019, 43 electric buses began to run in Amiens, France. They carry 151 passengers, make three routes from downtown, the racecourse, the fair hall, hospital / university, railway stations and residential areas. Some route sections are exclusive lanes with priority at traffic lights. They run from 4am to midnight. They arrive every 8 minutes.
These environmentally friendly, quiet and economical vehicles do not pollute, and reduce noise. They charge fast at the terminal, 4-5 minutes to drive 40km;or slow at night, 4 hours for 100% of batteries.
To encourage public transport, all lines on the network are free on Saturdays. They have inclusive fares based on passenger income. Sales are expected to raise by 28% by 2024.
In the EU, environmental waves have won the ear of the Commission, which will move forward with measures to reduce fossil fuels and to promote public transport.
Paris will ban the circulation of diesel vehicles soon. In Rennes the mayor has not purchased diesel vehicles since 2015. In Orléans there will be a fully electric transport network as early as 2024, the first in France. Sweden and the Netherlands will follow this route. In December 2018 Keolis became Canada's largest operator of all-electric school buses.
The electric bus is ideal for urban and suburban transport, up to 35-40km without recharging, in almost flat areas. It has great market potential. Irizar is the largest producer in our region. But any company that makes bodywork can do it.
Based on a traditional structure, it replaces the old crude-based engine, discharge, gearbox, etc. It uses one or two electric motors, some batteries, and little else. Recharge points have transformers to supply the voltage used in the batteries.
Until now the batteries were traditional, heavy, low capacity and short life. US Tesla's use a new lithium-ion technology similar to our mobile phones. So it is light and lasts much longer, despite being more expensive.
These vehicles are perfect for all Algarve municipalities, except two. They are available in various sizes, 20, 40, 80, or 151 passengers. The small ones for light and frequent traffic, larger for longer lines.
