Bus Éireann is launching a fully electric bus service in Limerick, Ireland, deploying 55 Wrightbus double-deck StreetDeck Electroliners.
This will make it one of Ireland’s first fully-electric regional city bus services.
The battery-electric buses were built at Wrightbus’s Ballymena headquarters in Northern Ireland and are now set to help provide cleaner air and quieter streets for people in Limerick. Indeed, the 55 buses will service more than 2.1 million emission-free kilometres across Limerick each year.
This is thanks to a 54 million EUR investment from the National Transport Authority (NTA).
Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA, said:These zero-emission vehicles will not only provide a smoother, more accessible journey for our customers, but will also significantly reduce CO2 emissions and noise pollution in the areas they operate.
This investment highlights the NTA’s dedication to creating a cleaner, greener and more efficient future for the people of Limerick.
Currently, 34 all-electric buses are in Limerick, with a further 21 expected to enter service in early 2025.
The new service was officially launched by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD at Limerick’s Colbert Station on 12 April.
Minister Ryan said:It is great to see the launch of electrified bus services in Limerick city. This follows on from the successful roll-out of a fully-electrified town bus service in Athlone last year and the ongoing decarbonisation of the Dublin bus fleet.
Government is committed to the greening of our public transport services and today represents an important step toward meeting our climate targets, while also providing a quieter, cleaner bus service for the people of Limerick.
The buses will be charged using newly installed charging infrastructure at Limerick’s Roxboro depot.
In preparation for the new all-electric service, Bus Éireann drivers and mechanics have also completed a comprehensive training programme on driving, maintaining and operating the new fleet.
Stephen Kent, CEO of Bus Éireann, said:Our mission is to help make life better and this transformative €54 investment in new zero-emission fleet, funded by the NTA, helps us reduce greenhouse gas emissions, providing a cleaner and greener public transport solution for everyone in Limerick city.
The investment follows the success of Ireland’s first-ever all-electric town bus service launched in Athlone in January 2023. Meanwhile, the capital city of Dublin also continues to decarbonise its substantial fleet.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO at Wrightbus, said:We are delighted to partner with the NTA in the drive to zero-emission public transport and to have played our part in helping it develop one of Ireland’s first fully-electric regional city bus services.
We are at the forefront of zero-emission technology and have a tremendous reputation for our fleet, both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell buses. Our ambition is to see many more of our buses be rolled out across cities, towns and rural areas all over the world.
