Irizar e-mobility has won a contract by German public transport operator Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG (KVB) to supply 78 the new Irizar ie bus Efficient for the city of Cologne. The delivery of the first units is expected for late 2026, and the rest of the fleet will be delivered in 2027. Out of the total, 40 units will be 12 metres long, and the other 38 will be 18 metres articulated buses.
With the inclusion of these new vehicles, KVB will be operating two thirds of their fleet 100% electrically. The vehicles can be charged with a Combo 2 outlet or using a (bottom up) pantograph, and they will be integrated into the sequential charging system of the KVB garages. They will be equipped with a new generation of batteries developed by Irizar e-mobility, in addition to a new, more compact motor. The interior design of the Irizar ie bus Efficient provides more room and luminosity and wider aisles. In addition, it includes an optimised climate control system and a digitalised driver’s area designed to provide an ergonomic and comfortable environment for the driver. The 12-metre units will have 2 doors, 32 seats and 1 space
for a wheelchair or pram, while the 18-metre vehicles will have 3 doors, 46 seats, and 2 wheelchair or pram spaces. Accorindg to Irizar the new Irizar ie bus Efficient is lighter thanks to a new structural concept that made it possible to increase passenger capacity. The compact motor, a new generation of more efficient batteries, and a new thermal manager, are responsible for a decrease in energy consumption in comparison with the previous generation ie buses. Also, as Irizar states, "50% more use of recycled source materials has been achieved". The contract has been signed through the Irizar e-mobility distributor in Germany, Jebsen & Jessen Industrial Solutions GmbH.