With 36 fully electric shared taxis in Eindhoven and a trial with electric wheelchair buses in Son en Breugel, the mobility sector is another step more sustainable. Connexxion Taxi Services (CTS), part of Transdev Nederland, thus makes a nice contribution to Zero Emission mobility solutions in Brabant. The electric shared taxis are on the road today.
“Winning the Taxbus and Son & Breugel tenders is so much more than just winning a tender. It is a signal that the taxi market is going in the right direction again, we can start building again ”, positive words from Wouter Hulskotte, fleet manager of Connexxion Taxi Services (CTS).
For the clients, electric driving in and around Eindhoven was a tough condition in the tender. The air quality in the city must improve, and from 2026 onwards, only emission-free taxis will be allowed in Eindhoven. On Monday, June 29, the brand new electric vehicles that will be used in these concessions were presented in a Eindhoven warehouse to the invited attendees, such as vehicle suppliers, clients and stakeholders from transdev en Connexxion. “With these acquisitions, we now have the opportunity to realize Zero Emission mobility solutions together with Hermes in Eindhoven and the surrounding area. For example, we combine public transport and taxi transport into a total solution at the service of the traveler, ”says Lucien Brouwers, director of Transport on Demand at Transdev.
Most of the whopping 36 all-electric Kia e-Souls are on display in a semicircle, an impressive sight. The Kia's (supplied by Content Autogroep) will be used for Taxbus, door-to-door transport for people with a Wmo transport indication and for elderly transport in designated municipalities in Brabant. “When choosing new vehicles, there are many different points for attention,” explains Bart Kraaijvanger, manager of the Zero Emissions Program.
“We looked at the space in the vehicles, but also at the entry height. It should be comfortable and easy for passengers to get on and off. In addition, since it concerns fully electric cars, the range was an important point. ” Hulskotte adds: “These cars can run around 400 kilometers on one battery charge and, depending on the type of charger used, are fully charged again between one and five hours. We won this tender because we put a lot of effort into reliability. We can make this happen with these vehicles. ” From July 1, these emission-free partial taxis will officially hit the road.
The Kia's are flanked by a brand new Volkswagen e-Crafter, the very first electric wheelchair bus from CTS, which will be tested in Son en Breugel. With a range of less than 100 kilometers, it is ideal for urban transport. The bus was delivered by Den Engelsen Bedrijfswagens and then converted into a wheelchair bus by specialist Tribus. “Among other things, a lower entrance has been created, a wheelchair lift and safety brackets have been installed. In addition, folding seats have been fitted and an extremely reliable system for securing the wheelchairs, ”says Hulskotte.
Brouwers expects a good time for taxi transport in the region and in the rest of the country. “The first really large electric fleet of city buses ran at Hermes in Eindhoven. In public transport, electric driving and making the fleet more sustainable has been a good move and we can now participate in its slipstream. With these zero-emission vehicles we take 36 diesel taxis off the road. We hope to be able to make a positive contribution to Eindhoven and the rest of the region with these tenders. ”
Source: Connexxion Taxi Services
Also read: Ebusco supplies electric buses with the Transdev Group
