Genoa is testing out this futuristic tram-bus

The latest generation of public transport vehicles are taking over European streets

AMT, the public transport operator of Genoa, has announced that it is running tests of a new generation Irizar electric buses as a way to understand their performance capacity. What’s immediately noticeable is the sleek design of the vehicles, which makes them look more like trams than buses. In fact, the model is called Irizar ie tram.

The objective of the road experiment is to collect information in terms of performance and efficiency along the route of the defined mobility axes in Genoa. Likewise, there’s a desire to continue deepening the knowledge of electric technology at the service of the local public transport in view of an increasingly green system.

The floating bus

The design of the 18,73-m tram-bus is emphasized by a silver frame, which from distance and at night makes it look like the bus is floating above the ground.

The e-bus, featuring this particular aesthetic, weighs around 30 tons and is equipped with lithium batteries with a maximum storage capacity of 590 kW, for an autonomy run of around 200 kilolemtres. Among its characteristics, is also the high passenger capacity, equal to 145 people.

The vehicle, which is 100% electric, is produced by Irizar, a Spanish manufacturer from the Basque Country (with an Italian division), which had been previously supplying AMT with older generation fully electric buses starting in 2020.

In other cities where this type of vehicle has been introduced, such as Schaffhausen (Switzerland), the ie Tram runs using depot charging systems and ultra-fast charging systems along the way, infrastructures that are also produced by Irizar.

In Genoa, the trial run will go until 6 February, not including any passengers, in order to allow for simulation scenarios and charging tests.