In-motion charging for Lyon trolleybuses

The French city of Lyon, home to the country’s largest trolleybus network, is expanding its operations with 34 Swiss-built Hess LighTram 19 articulated trolleybuses.

They join a fleet of 124 rigid and articulated Irisbus Cristalis (with auxiliary diesel engines) built between 2000 and 2010, and seven short wheelbase MAN- Kiepe-Hess NMT222s dating from 1999, which operate on the hilly S6 route to Croix-Rousse.

Keolis normally operates nine trolleybus routes as part of the TCL public transport network on behalf of regional transport authority Sytral, but long-term regeneration works in the city centre have interrupted some services, requiring operation with diesel buses instead.

However, the in-motion charging capability of the new Hess trolleybuses means that they can operate on battery power on sections without wires for up to 40% of the journey. They are expected to take over opewration of routes C11 and C13 later this year.

The first of the 34 new Hess LighTram articulated trolleybuses for Lyon.
SYTRAL

Each €950,000 (£820,000) vehicle can carry 155 passengers, although only 33 are seated. Sytral has financed the purchase as part of its plans for 40% of the 1,000-strong fleet to be electric or gas-powered by 2026.