After the completion of the four-year project, the electrically powered buses are scheduled to enter the market. In addition to Flix, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Mannheim, and the Rhineland-Palatinate University of Technology Kaiserslautern-Landau are involved in the development. Daimler Buses is leading the project.
An electric drive is being tested under real-world conditions on two prototype buses. The pilot project is intended to provide insights for planning cost-effective production and assembly processes for electric long-distance buses. Flix plans to continuously evaluate performance and determine in real time whether all necessary requirements are met. The goal is to implement the technology in the Flixbus fleet in the long term.
"We believe in the future carbon neutrality of bus travel as a solution to completely decarbonize travel. Since the founding of Flixbus, we have strived to continually reduce our environmental impact by researching alternative propulsion systems to offset our carbon footprint,"
says André Schwämmlein, Co-founder and CEO of Flix.
“Redesigning mobility is the key driver to provide environmentally friendly, technology-driven, yet affordable travel solutions for everyone.”
E-bus projects already being tested
The biggest challenges for the use of electric drives in long-distance buses are ensuring charging options and sufficient space for passengers' luggage.
The pilot project will initially examine a modular drive system in a concept phase with regard to energy consumption, range, performance, and battery life. Subsequently, the costs, environmental impact, and potential integration into existing operating concepts of bus companies will be analyzed. Prototypes developed on this basis will then be tested under real-life operating conditions in Flixbus long-distance buses.
Flix is already testing various emission-free drive solutions for its buses. Initial e-bus pilot projects have already been conducted in France, the USA, and Germany. The company has also tested solar panels and Biogas drivesFlix is also involved in the development of a Hydrogen fuel cell bus Flix claims to be open to new technologies and expects to use different technologies in its network in the future.
