Belgian manufacturer Van Hool has debuted the world’s first fully battery-electric double-deck coach, the TDX25E, for the US market.
The coach provides capacity for 69 passengers, with 18 on the lower deck and 51 on the upper deck, and has a claimed range of 500km (310 miles) depending on conditions and topography.
The TDX25E is to be used for employee commutes and regular passenger transport. It comes after Van Hool debuted its first battery-electric coach, the CX45E, at Busworld in 2019. The first of those models was shipped one year ago and now 22 units have sold within the US.
CEO Filip Van Hool said at that time that the manufacturer is “ready to quickly deliver a solution for customers who are looking for such a product, if European interest becomes more pronounced”.
Both the TDX25E shares the same electrical components as the CX45E, being fitted with a Siemens power train and Proterra batteries.
“American customers reacted very enthusiastically to the driving experiences with our first battery-electric coach, the CX45E,” comments Mr Van Hool. “This prompted us to quickly set to work on developing a battery electric double-deck, which has a higher passenger capacity. Our experience with electrical drive systems in the past, and recently with the CX45E, really helped us with the rapid development and comprehensive testing of the newest Van Hool double-deck, the TDX25E.
“We’ve been producing double-deck coaches since 1982. Twenty-five years later – in 2007 – we shipped the first double-decks to the US. And now, 15 years later, we are launching the first 100% battery-electric double-deck coach on the US market. This is a second home market for Van Hool, nowhere else in the world is the demand for our double-deck coaches higher than in the USA. Globally, Van Hool has sold more than 3,500 units in 19 different countries.”
Van Hool’s distributor in the North American market is ABC Bus Companies and today there are more than 11,000 Van Hool coaches and buses in North America. Van Hool celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2022.
