The first fully electric passenger bus hit the ramp in Spain at Seville Airport on 9 April – part of an eco-collaboration between ground handler Aviapartner, its equipment lessor, Air Rail, airport authority AENA and Chinese bus manufacturer Yutong.
The bus was unveiled by Aviapartner’s chief executive officer (CEO), Clive Sauvé-Hopkins, along with Aviapartner’s general manager for Spain, Steve Azevedo, Air Rail’s managing director, José Manuel García Prieto, Air Rail’s CEO, Luis Yagüe, and director of Sevilla Airport, Jesús Caballero.
A trial period is taking place for the electric bus after which time a decision will be made on whether more come into operations in Seville.
Ground handling services provider Aviapartner, and Air Rail, provider and owner of the Yutong electric bus, have embarked together on developing the sustainability project whose main goal is to reduce CO2 emissions and carbon footprint at the Spanish gateway.
The move is part of Aviapartner’s ‘Go Green’ initiative and AENA’s equally strong focus on the environment and it is hoped the electric bus will be the first of several zero-emissions buses to enter the Spanish airport network.
Azevedo said that Malaga would be the next Avipartner station in Spain to see an electric bus join its GSE fleet, which is now 34 per cent electric across its international network.
As well as producing no CO2 emissions, the e-bus operates noiselessly and for 12 hours on a single charge. Replenishing a full charge takes just two hours, with recharging expected to be necessary just once a week. One bus carries approximately 80 passengers and their luggage.
