Recent operational trials initiated by Nordhessischer Verkehrsverbund (NVV), the public transport authority for northern Hesse, Germany; have seen an IVECO Bus CROSSWAY Low Entry ELEC exceed 500km on a single charge.
Launched at the end of April 2026, the trial was carried out whilst operating regular interurban services with a range of elevation changes, and was conducted by operator Frölich Linie on NVV network routes.
Forming part of an evaluation programme to assess alternative drivetrain technologies in everyday operating conditions, the operator sought to identify the most suitable solution for different operating environments, from more dense urban traffic to difficult rural and interurban services.
This initiative is hoped to enable NVV to prepare a gradual deployment of alternative-drivetrain vehicles across its network, which currently comprises almost 290 regular routes operated by over 600 buses and around 30 minibuses.
The trial concluded at the end of August 2026, and has brought together a number of transport companies and vehicle manufacturers, with tests carried out on bus routes across the five districts of northern Hesse.
Within this context, the CROSSWAY LE ELEC tested by Frölich Linie was deployed on routes 200 and 290, with route 200 connecting Eschwege with Kassel and covering more than 500 km each day, whilst route 290 also serves the Hoher Meißner area – which features particularly demanding topography and significant elevation changes.
The CROSSWAY LE ELEC used in the trial was equipped with a 485 kWh battery, which is the largest battery capacity currently available for the vehicle.
