Following on from the success of its Althlone electric bus town project, Bus Éireann recently appointed Hitachi Energy Ireland to deliver the first phase of electrifying its depot at Roxboro in Limerick, in a project funded by Ireland’s National Transport Authority. Hitachi will work with Bus Éireann to deliver a new on site substation, install 24 charge points, carry out all civil and cabling works and commission the charging infrastructure. This work is planned to be completed in advance of the delivery of 20 double-deck battery electric buses, purchased by the National Transport Authority to operate on Limerick city routes.
Limerick will be the first regional city in Ireland to introduce fully electric vehicles, where they will join 20 hybrid vehicles already operating in the city. Bus Éireann carries around 4.5 million passengers on its seven Limerick city routes each year. The buses’ range is reported to be better than expected, whilst passenger numbers are said to be at record levels.
