Trolleybus projects and investments are on a rise in several European countries. Switzerland, France, Austria, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic are among the countries where trolleybus networks are more diffuse. Significant renewal plans are underway. Also Berlin is considering new investments on this technology.
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Mexico City is giving ‘fresh air’ to its trolleybus fleet as well. Electric bus growing deployment is not the only protagonist of the energy transition in city public transport.
Once fitted with a diesel motor-generator and unable to break the constraints of connection to overhead powerlines, today, thanks to battery systems (In Motion Technology), trolleybuses are reinventing themselves as vehicles that can combine zero emissions with flexibility. Hess, Iveco Bus, Skoda Electric, Solaris Bus & Coach and Van Hool are the main industry players.
In this article, we at Sustainable Bus (with extensive contributions from Stefano Alfano) tried to sum-up news, case studies and developments from the dynamic trolleybus sector.