Prague will be the first city in the Czech Republic with 24-meter trolleybuses from Škoda – Cysnews
The Transport Company of the Capital City of Prague (DPP) has signed an agreement to order 20 new large-capacity trolleybuses from a consortium of the Škoda Transportation Group, the Polish manufacturer Solaris Bus & Coach and Solaris Czech. Prague will thus be the first city in the Czech Republic where new two-joint trolleybuses with a length of 24.7 meters will run. The new trolleybuses, with the working name Škoda-Solaris 24m, will be deployed on the future trolleybus line as part of the electrification of the existing bus line 119, which runs from Veleslavín Railway Station at Prague’s Václav Havel Airport. The value of the contract is over CZK 620 million and they will have deliveries within the next 24 months. The Škoda Transportation Group is part of the PPF Group.
“It’s great that Prague is returning to trolleybus transport, which began to write its history here as early as 1936, and even then Škoda trolleybuses were present. Trolleybuses are a key means of transport in many European cities and their introduction to Prague Airport will provide passengers with a comfortable and especially quiet journey to the center of Prague. In addition, trolleybuses will replace diesel buses on this line, thus significantly reducing carbon emissions. I believe that it will be an inspiration for other cities as well, and large-capacity trolleybuses will also appear on their backbone lines, ” he says Tanya Altmann, Senior Vice President for Bus Mobility Solutions in the Škoda Transportation Group.
“Returns from vacation will not be as difficult in two years as before. With a heavy suitcase or backpack, a crowded, uncomfortable bus will no longer be waiting for us. A three-section trolleybus will arrive at the stop. They will be comfortable, quiet and offered a smooth ride. No coding. With its driving characteristics and comfort, it is closer to a tram than a bus. In addition, thanks to modern technologies, they will have to stretch new wires along the entire length of the line, and we would have to use existing street lighting poles, ” he said Adam Scheinherr, Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the DPP Supervisory Board and adds: “The beginning of this year is really for us in electromobility and modern technologies. We started building the infrastructure for the first regulatory trolleybus line in Prague from Palmovka to Miškovice. We already have 15 articulated battery trolleybuses for it. The first electric buses run in Prague and by the end of February there will be a total of 14. We have obtained a joint permit for electrification lines No. 119 to Václav Havel Airport and now we have the winners of a public contract for the purchase of three-section trolleybuses on this line. “
“I am very pleased that we have managed to complete this public contract and sign a contract for the purchase of 20 three-section trolleybuses today. They are the Prague destination for the second planned trolleybus line, which will connect Veleslavín Railway Station and Václav Havel Prague Airport from March 2024 instead of buses. However, it is possible that the first three-section trolleybus will not appear earlier on the trolleybus line 58 during the test run. We should receive the first vehicle for test runs next year, the remaining 19th by mid-February 2024. said Petr Witowski, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of DPP.
“We congratulate the city of Prague on investing in modern and emission-free vehicles. The new type of trolleybus is our answer to increase capacity on the busiest lines in congested cities. The commissioning of 20 two-joint trolleybuses will be an ideal solution for this metropolis. I am convinced that these modern, elaborate, richly equipped, and above all emission-free vehicles will become the dominant feature of the Czech capital, ” he said Petros Spinaris, Solaris Member of the Board, responsible for sales, marketing and after-sales services.
Each Škoda-Solaris 24m vehicle will have four axles, two of which are drive axles.
The trolleybuses will be powered by two traction motors from Škoda. Traction batteries will be located on the roof of the second part of the car, which will supply energy when mains power is not available. The minimum range of the trolleybus on the traction battery is 11 km.
The exact length of this unique two-section trolleybus is 24,700 mm. Its capacity is 179 passengers on board, of which 54 are seated. There are also two wheelchair spaces inside the vehicle. The trolleybus has a five-door and provides plenty of space for passengers, including any luggage. The passenger compartment and exterior lighting has been designed using LED technology. There will be no lack on board, such as turn signals, efficient air conditioning and monitoring system equipment, including the vehicle interior, reversing camera and pantograph camera. The driver will be able to perform his daily tasks in a comfortable enclosed cabin with tall windows.
The Škoda Transportation Group is the largest European manufacturer of trolleybuses. During the 85-year existence of trolleybus production, it has supplied more than 14.5 thousand trolleybuses to the domestic and foreign markets. Czech trolleybuses run in about thirty countries around the world – in Europe, Asia and North America.
Basic technical data about the Škoda-Solaris 24m trolleybus:
- Length: 24,700 mm
- Width: 2,550 mm
- Height: 3,500 mm (with retracted pantographs)
- Wheelbase: front 5,900 mm / middle 6,000 mm / rear 7,350 mm
- Total maximum weight: 38,000 kg
- Top speed: 70 km / h
- Number of axles: 4
- Number of axles supported: 2 (second and third)
- Number of steered axles: 2 (front and rear)
- Number of doors for entry and exit: 5
- Boarding height: 320 mm
- Total number of seats: 52
- Total number of passengers: 179
- Number of engines: 2
- Traction electric motor power: 160 kW
- Traction battery capacity: 60 kWh
Škoda Transportation
The products of Škoda Transportation mainly include low-floor trams, electric locomotives, suburban train units, metro trains, electric buses and trolleybuses, as well as control and drive systems for transport systems. Škoda Transportation has several subsidiaries in the Czech Republic, such as Škoda Electric, Škoda Vagonka, Škoda Pars and Škoda Ekova. However, other companies are also in Germany, Finland, Hungary and Russia. It employs over six thousand people in its companies. Only thanks to high investments in research and development can Škoda Transportation come to market regularly with new and modern products that will successfully find their place in foreign markets. In 2020, it invested CZK 1.73 billion in research and development.
PPF Group
PPF Group operates in 25 countries. It invests in a number of industries, from financial services to telecommunications, media, biotechnology, real estate to engineering. PPF operates in Europe, Asia and North America. The group owns assets of 40.3 billion euros and employs 80,000 people worldwide (as of June 30, 2021).
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