Electric buses reach 70% of the fleet in Cagliari with arrival of 47 new Iveco E-Ways

CTM S.p.A., the public transport operator serving Cagliari, the largest city on the Italian island of Sardinia, has recently taken delivery of 47 examples of the 10.7-metre “large midi” version of the Iveco E-Way electric bus. The vehicles, which entered service on June 29, were procured with European Union funding, specifically from Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). As a result of the fleet expansion, fully electric models now account for 70% of the bus fleet in the port city on Sardinia’s southern coast, with the aim of making the entire fleet zero-emission by 2030, well ahead of the deadline set by the European Union.  

The newly delivered electric midibuses arrived in Cagliari under a framework agreement concluded by Consip, the Italian state’s central purchasing body, and their entry into passenger service marks the completion of a €92 million fleet renewal investment, the largest project of its kind in the city’s history to date. Including the 47 Iveco E-Ways, CTM’s fleet now comprises a total of 236 electric buses, 152 of which were acquired with PNRR support – most recently, three years ago, the company purchased 80 full-size solo and 18 articulated Solaris electric buses, while the Polish manufacturer has also recently supplied the Sardinian operator with hydrogen fuel-cell and hybrid-drive models. The new Iveco midibuses have been deployed on the busy local routes 1Q, 8, 20 and 30R, replacing the ageing buses previously used there, while the charging infrastructure has also been expanded in parallel with their arrival, with two strategic hubs in Cagliari and neighbouring Quartu Sant’Elenа.

Photo: Autobusweb

An interesting feature of the vehicles is that, according to Iveco Bus’s official communication, these are the first E-Way midibuses sold in Europe to be fitted with lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt-oxide (NMC) traction batteries assembled in-house by sister company FPT Industrial (although these have been available for members of the model family since 2023, including the midi versions). The five-module energy storage system has a total capacity of 346 kWh (the manufacturer’s press material states “around 350 kWh”, but based on the capacity per module the exact figure is slightly below this), providing a range of roughly 350 kilometres on a single charge. The buses are driven directly by a Siemens ELFA 3 electric drive system and its associated central electric motor, with a peak output of 310 kW. A technical characteristic of the model is that, in order to maintain a sufficiently wide passenger aisle at the rear as well, the driven axle uses extra-wide 455/45 R22.5 so-called super single tyres instead of twin wheels.

Photo: Autobusweb

The examples delivered to Cagliari, with a 2-2-0 door layout, offer 20 seats and space for 59 standing passengers, while access for passengers with reduced mobility or those travelling with prams is assisted by a manually operated ramp at the second door. The list of extras includes, among other things, heat-pump air conditioning, an onboard CCTV system, a protected, enclosed driver’s cab, and high-resolution digital cameras in place of conventional exterior rear-view mirrors. The buses’ equipment is rounded out by the safety functions required by the European Union’s revised General Safety Regulation (GSR II) – including, for example, a front collision warning assistant capable of detecting pedestrians and cyclists – as well as electronic stability control, an automatic fire suppression system installed in the battery compartment, and advanced real-time vehicle location and passenger information systems.

Photo: CTM Cagliari

Both the manufacturer and the operator particularly highlight the excellent manoeuvrability of the compact vehicles, which are 10.7 metres long and just 2.33 metres wide, a useful trait in hard-to-access locations such as narrow city-centre streets, and one that also fits well with Cagliari’s operating requirements. CTM’s aim, incidentally, is to extend its services to municipalities in the area not yet covered, as part of the forthcoming local public transport reform and in close cooperation with the Region of Sardinia.

Cover image: Iveco Bus