Alstom and NTL presented in Duppigheim (Alsace, France) a new 100% electric bus, Aptis. As cities are looking for smarter, more efficient and more connected means of transportation, Aptis has already attracted the interest of customers in Europe. In France, STIF has decided to launch two trials, one of which is with RATP. Aptis will undergo test runs in Paris and in the Ile-de-France region during the second half of 2017.
Aptis’ unique and innovative design, based on that of a tram, incorporates low-floor accessibility and 360° views. Two or three large double doors enable easy on-and-off passenger flows and smooth access for wheelchairs and strollers.
Operators will benefit from a vehicle that is easy to maintain with the longest lifetime in its category. With four steerable wheels versus two for a bus, Aptis occupies 25% less surface area in curves, providing perfect integration into the city. At bus stops, this minimises the space needed to park while offering gains in available space for other vehicles.
Alstom and NTL will provide not only the vehicle, but an entire system. It includes dimensioning, charging options, road infrastructure, leasing and warranty options, ensuring that cities can smoothly and cost-effectively integrate electric mobility into their transport networks. Thanks to low maintenance and operation costs and a longer lifetime compared to buses, Aptis has a total cost of ownership equivalent to current diesel buses.
“With Aptis, we complete our electric mobility offering and are now able to offer cities a full range of urban solutions. It was a real challenge to create this innovative concept, made possible thanks to NTL’s agility and knowledge of vehicles on tyres and Alstom’s expertise in electric traction and system integration. We are very proud to present this new environmentally-friendly solution that will revolutionise urban transportation,” says Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Alstom Chairman and CEO.
Aptis can be charged at night in the depot, or rapidly at the end of each line during daily operations. Fast charging is either via inverted pantograph or SRS, Alstom’s innovative fast ground charging system.
Aptis prototypes are being manufactured in NTL’s factory in Duppigheim, Alsace, with key components manufactured by five of Alstom’s sites in France: Saint-Ouen for the project management and system integration, Tarbes for the traction, Ornans for the motors, Vitrolles for SRS and Villeurbanne for electronic components of the traction.