Van Hool, an independent manufacturer of buses, coaches, and industrial vehicles, has secured a contract with Qbuzz (Netherlands) for the delivery of 112 battery-electric buses.
The order includes 56 units of the Van Hool A13LE E (13m, 45 + 3 seats) and 56 units of the Van Hool A15LE E (15m, 51 + 5 seats) models.
These emission-free buses are set to be deployed in the Zuid-Holland Noord concession in the Netherlands, starting from December 15, 2024.
This latest order, the largest for the Van Hool A city bus, comes less than a year after Qbuzz’s previous order of 54 vehicles.
Van Hool will now manufacture a total of 166 buses for Qbuzz, surpassing 400 units sold of the new A-series city buses for public transport since its premiere in June 2022 in Paris.
Introduced in June 2022, the new A-series environmentally friendly city buses come in four different lengths (12m, 13m, 18m, and 24m) and exclusively feature 100% zero-emission powertrains: battery-electric, fuel cell (hydrogen), and trolley.
Van Hool’s A-series buses are designed and developed at the company’s knowledge center in Koningshooikt.
The center is responsible for building and testing prototypes, as well as providing production and commercial support.
Both production facilities in Koningshooikt (Belgium) and Skopje (North Macedonia) can manufacture the A-series buses.
Qbuzz’s new electric vehicles will operate on the HOV lines in Zuid-Holland Noord, including snelBuzz and R-net services.
The units boast a continuous motor power of 310 kW, LFP type batteries with a 578 kWh capacity, and are equipped for reliable service and climate control, even in cold weather.
The new buses feature amenities for passengers, including luxurious seats with individual heating, spacious working areas with foldable tables, USB connections, and ample Wi-Fi bandwidth for work, study, relaxation, and entertainment during the journey.
For drivers, the buses come equipped with a swiveling and automatically adjustable driver’s seat with climate control, replacing traditional side mirrors with cameras for improved visibility.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) provide additional support to drivers with acoustic and visual signals as needed.
Qbuzz, part of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS Group), operates public transport services in Groningen-Drenthe, Drechtsteden-Molenlanden-Gorinchem, and Utrecht, and has expanded to provide services in Zuid-Holland Noord since December 15, 2024.
With over 1,200 electric vehicles produced in the past decades, including hydrogen, trolley, battery, and hybrid variants, Van Hool continues its commitment to delivering environmentally friendly and cost-effective electric vehicles in Europe and North America.
The company remains an innovative force, demonstrated by its recent success with 130 battery-electric touring coaches circulating in North America since 2021.
