PORTUGAL CaetanoBus has renewed and expanded its city bus portfolio, launching a new generation of buses in 8.5m, 12m and 18m lengths, which it says are all focused on zero-emission, passenger-centric mobility and giving drivers the best experience in daily operation.
The 18-metre model will include a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) version, designed for high-capacity urban routes and available with doors on both sides. The new generation buses will use components and technology from bus and train manufacturer CRRC, and be fitted with CATL LFP BC5 battery systems, offering capacities of up to 465kWh for the 12-metre model, up to 700kWh for the 18-metre articulated bus, and up to 266kWh for the small 8.5-metre version.
The batteries have been designed to support fast charging and still provide a long cycle life exceeding, 4,000 charge cycles with minimal degradation. Meanwhile, Toyota technology will remain at the heart of the Caetano’s hydrogen-powered models, which will be equipped with a Toyota Fuel Cell Stack Generation 2.5, delivering 70kW of power and supported by a CATL battery pack of up to 130kWh for 12-metre hydrogen bus and up to 170kWh for the 18-metre version.
CaetanoBus CCO Nuno Lago de Carvalho said: “Through the joint development efforts of CaetanoBus and CRRC, combined with rigorous software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing, the new generation of Caetano buses represents the forefront of e-mobility engineering, delivering exceptional reliability, performance, and safety for a smarter, more sustainable transportation future. We are equally proud of our ability to scale this innovation across the entire Caetano product range, from 8.5m to 18m buses, using a common platform that supports both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell technologies. This unified approach ensures maximum flexibility, efficiency, and the seamless integration of cutting-edge systems across all vehicle configurations.”
