GERMANY
Following increasing success in the Swedish market, Mellor has announced an order for three Sigma 7 electric buses to be delivered to public transport operator KVG in Kiel, in partnership with its local distributor Jebsen & Jessen Industrial Solutions. Mellor’s first Sigma order from a German operator is expected to be completed in March and will be used on a route that serves some of Kiel’s narrowest streets.
“It is a pleasure to work with Jebsen & Jessen e-Mobility and KVG Kiel to bring Sigma 7 to Germany – yet another landmark moment for the Mellor brand, which is expanding internationally,” said Mellor’s Group Business Development Director Gustavo Marqueta.
KVG, the main operator in the far-northern coastal city of Kiel, said it selected the Sigma 7 due to its compact dimensions. Mellor, and local partner Jebsen & Jessen, worked closely with KVG to share knowledge and understand their specific use requirements to best optimise the configuration of their Sigma buses, including a training course for the operator on one of Mellor’s demonstration vehicles.
The buses will seat 14 passengers with one wheelchair space. As winter temperatures in the city can often dip below freezing in the northern German city, all have been fitted with Mellor’s cold climate adaptations, which include the installation of a more powerful driver and saloon HVAC system, as well as a battery thermal pre-conditioning system to maximise driving range on colder days.
Gustavo added: “The operator’s use case is exactly the reason why Sigma exists – a size-appropriate design that offers a low total cost of ownership but is packaged as a ground-up electric bus. We’re grateful for the confidence KVG has put into us and our Sigma product range and we look forward to seeing the buses in revenue-earning service.”
