Further 20 Citeas Electric for Kiel
The northern German city of Kiel has added 20 more Citeas SLF-120 Electric in addition to an order for 47 articulated electric buses, with the latest delivery scheduled for September. As a result, by the end of 2021, 67 electric Citeas from VDL Bus & Coach will be in operation in Kiel.
“We are very proud of the trust Kiel has placed in us, based on our long-standing knowledge and experience in the field of e-mobility,” says Boris Höltermann, managing director, VDL Bus & Coach Germany. “Kiel has a clear climate goal, which fits in perfectly with our ‘Aiming for Zero’ objective. We hope to achieve many more milestones together by intensifying our relationship.”
The 20 Citeas SLF-120 Electric will run on five routes in the city. They are charged at night at the depot and also at the terminus stops with fast charging infrastructure. KVG has so far taken 19 electric buses into operation and since the first electric Citea went into service in September last year, more than 160,000km have been covered.
KVG director Andreas Schulz says: “We have a target of offering fully electric public transport by 2030. The experiences with VDL Bus & Coach are very positive. With these electric buses, which save around 87 tonnes of CO2 per bus each year, KVG is contributing to a better and quieter living environment. In addition, we are enabling the municipality of Kiel to achieve its ambitious climate targets.”
After the first five VDL Citeas SLF-120 Electric were delivered to Münster in 2015, more than 100 vehicles in Germany have so far been delivered in fully electric mode, together accounting for more than four million km of electric experience in public transport.