The two new SOR electric buses, which travel the regular BB1 and BB2 routes connecting the multifunctional BB Centrum complex and the Budějovická metro station in Prague 4, have travelled more than 23 thousand kilometres in the first half year of its full operations. More than 300 thousand passengers have caught a ride on the buses. They are the first electric buses to be put into service in the Prague mass transit system that passengers can use free of charge. The project is a joint initiative of the development and investment company PASSERINVEST GROUP, the ČEZ Group and the ARRIVA transportation company and it aims to decreased the burden on the environment, particularly in cities.
The pair of Czech SOR EBN 9.5 electric buses serving the public free of charge on the regular BB1 and BB2 routes between the Budějovická metro station and the multifunctional BB Centrum in Prague 4 currently have travelled a total of 23 554 kilometres. Each of the vehicles travels an average of 100 km a day, thus managing to get in about 50 journeys. The electric buses can hold up to 73 passengers and both vehicles transport approximately 3600 people per day.
A survey that the operator of Prague’s BB Centrum, PASSERINVEST GROUP, performed on a sample of more than 2600 respondents showed that a vast majority (more than 80%) are satisfied with the introduction of the new buses. The passengers primarily appreciated the quiet and smoother ride that with regular buses, cleanliness and the professionality of the drivers. A neutral evaluation came from about a fifth of the respondents. One-tenth of the passengers were not aware they were not travelling in a regular bus until asked by those performing the survey.
The electric buses heading to BB Centrum have two permanent drivers assigned to them and another two are trained to drive them in the event of illness, holidays, etc. The operations to date have fully shown the advantages of electric power in public transport: the electric buses environmental friendliness and the very low noise levels. In practice they are even quieter than trolley buses, because there is no sound from the overhead contacts. When braking or driving downhill the electric bus, which has an output of 120 kW, recovers energy, which it uses to recharge its own battery.
Did you know that…
• the batteries with 180 lithium-ion cells have a total capacity of 172 kWh, which corresponds to the average daily consumption of 25 Czech households?
• last year it took the Temelín nuclear power plan less than half a second to charge the batteries of one electric bus to full capacity?
• after a full day of operations the electric buses from the Budějovická – BB Centrum routes once again have full batteries (when recharging 3 × 400 V/32 A) in 6 hours?
• if the full capacity of 73 passengers is used, one electric bus is capable of transporting more than 3600 passengers a day?
• Wi-Fi coverage in the electric buses at Brumlovka is a matter of course.
