TRANSEXPO was held under the banner of electric buses!

- I am not a supporter of the slogan "good, because it is Polish" but "good, because it is good". If this good product is also a Polish one, as in the case of the PILEA 12e bus, it is even better - said Tomasz Kammel during the presentation of the latest 12 -meter bus from the company Solec Kujawski.

The bus from a competitor - Isuzu, also premiered here -  the NovoCiti VOLT is the company's first 8-meter e-vehicle equipped with the TM4 Sumo MD electric motor with 255 kW power. NovoCiti VOLT ensures zero emissions and reduced noise levels in cities,  in addition, the vehicle provides the best manoeuvrability among electric vehicles. The presentation was enhanced by an oriental belly dance show and an equally oriental snack consisting of classic kebabs.

The MAN company also presented its electric vehicle. The MAN Lion's City E offers over 350 kilometres range on a single battery charge. The vehicle is available in three sizes: the smallest version of 10 metres, then 12 and 18 meters. The latter was presented at Transexpo.

- Each version of the bus has been zero-emissions designed. The buses provide maximum comfort for passengers and the feeling of luxury - says Managing Director of MAN Truck & Bus Poland to the Middle East region, Claus Wallenstein.

Each model is optionally available with the innovative MAN OptiView mirror change system and many other optional assistance systems that provide greater safety for the driver, passengers and other road users. The vehicle was pronounced "Bus of the Year" at this year's IAA Nutzfahrzeuge in Hannover. The other vehicle presented at the meeting was an electric van -  MAN eTGE station wagon which can carry 8 people. The car is also adapted to the transport of people with disabilities. Its completely flat floor contains the batteries. The presented version was equipped with all factory options, incl. full LED lights, navigation with 8" display, rear view camera, electric package with heated seats and steering wheel, as well as a comfortable suspension driver's seat. The presentation was staged in an interesting venue - inside the Lion's City E bus.

There is other interesting solution - hydrogen buses presented at Transexpo by the newly established Arthur company from Germany. The H2 BUS is a hydrogen-powered bus, produced in Lublin. The bus is powered by a fuel cell with a capacity of between 60 and 125 kW. Hydrogen is stored at 350 bar pressure. The fully refuelled bus offers a range of 450 kilometres. Arthur's co-founder, Philip Gröner, participated in the trade show.

- In our opinion, ecology does not have to result in sacrifices. Public transport operators should not change the way they operate just because they have switched to electric buses. Therefore, we want to offer the same performance and convenience to our customers. We focused on creating the best possible alternative to the diesel engine - says Philip Gröner.

TRANSEXPO puts collective transport at the top of priorities list

Traditionally, on the eve of the International Fair of Public Transport TRANSEXPO, a Technical Conference was held. The session was co-organised by the IGKM CHAMBER OF URBAN TRANSPORT Rolling Stock Commission. This time the conference was the session of the Bus Rolling Stock Commission. The topics discussed at this year's session included the analysis of electric fires in city buses and fire protection in electric buses from the perspective of the rolling stock manufacturer, issues related to hydrogen buses and similar. Lots of interesting topics were discussed at the symposium, including binding legal acts related to public transport. The transport conference was held within the scope pf the 16th TRANSEXPO in Targi Kielce. The Polish Vehicle Transport and Forwarding Chamber of Commerce from Warsaw also had its conference within the scope of the expo.

Travelling back in time - an exhibition of vintage buses

The Kielce Transexpo was the occasion for the Chamber of Urban Transport to present an interesting and extraordinary exhibition of vintage buses. The oldest of the machines on show was the Souma Six;  the 90-year-old bus is an icon of pre-war public transport,  in Poland, mainly used in Warsaw. The 9-meter vehicle could accommodate 44 people, including 32 people sitting. In addition, the exhibition also includes two models of Jelcz - model 043. This is a genuine one. There is a well-known bus with an extremely angular form - Jelcz PR110M. In addition, the classic Autosan has also found its place at the exhibition. The "youngest" vehicle presented at the Transexpo 2022 Vintage Exhibition was the Ikarus 260,  the eleven-meter-long Hungarian bus first appeared in Poland in the 1970s, mainly due to exports from the USSR. Some may remember red Ikarus buses with brown seats and metal warning signs written in Cyrillic. Even recently, they were still in service.

The next International Fair of Public Transport TRANSEXPO will be held from 16 to 18 October 2024. We do hope to see you!