Irizar is arriving in Bulgaria. Specifically, their buses are arriving in Burgas, which for the first time will include 44 Irizar ie bus zero emissions electric buses in its fleet. It is the first electromobility project in that city and one of the largest in Bulgaria to date. Bulgarian public transport operator Burgas Bus will be in charge of operating the buses. Currently, it has more than 130 vehicles in its fleet.
The buses that will be provided include two different lengths. There will be thirty-four 12 metre long units and ten 18 metre units. The 12 metre long ie bus will have 3 doors, 26 seats (4 of which are PRM) and a wheelchair area. The 18 metre long bus, on the other hand, will have 4 pneumatic doors, 32 seats (4 of which are PRM) and a wheelchair area.
The vehicles will be equipped with Irizar lithium-ion batteries. Irizar e-mobility will also provide 44 interoperable ECI-100 chargers by Jema Energy (an Irizar Group company). The chargers have a 100 kW smart charging system that will charge the vehicles in three hours using a Combo 2 charging outlet. They will also include telemetry systems by Datik, an Irizar Group company, which the operators can use to monitor and manage their electric vehicle fleet at all times and get the maximum performance out of their operation.
Irizar e-mobility has worked closely with Burgas Bus for this project to give the fleet a modern and attractive design. Aesthetic features of the ie bus and the Irizar ie tram were combined in the design to create a mixed vehicle that maximises the luminosity of the space inside the cabin.
The delivery of the first units is expected to be made in September 2021.
Burgas is the fourth largest city in Bulgaria. The firm commitment being made to electrify their fleet of buses is an enormous step forward for the city and it will connect places and visitors in a clean and efficient way.