Škoda Group has secured two tenders to supply a total of 75 new trolleybuses to Sofia, Bulgaria. The orders comprise 35 twelve-metre Škoda 32Tr vehicles and 40 eighteen-metre Škoda 27Tr articulated vehicles, with a combined value of 56.19 million EUR.
All vehicles will feature fully low-floor designs and traction batteries capable of covering at least 15 kilometres off the overhead trolleybus network. They will be fitted with semi-automatic current collectors, air conditioning for drivers and passengers, modern passenger information and ticketing systems, surveillance cameras, and diagnostic systems with remote data transmission capabilities.
The twelve-metre trolleybuses are scheduled for delivery within 12 months of the contracts taking effect, while the articulated eighteen-metre vehicles are expected within 15 months. Both contracts will commence once European Union funding is confirmed.
Karel Majer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Škoda Electric in the Škoda Group said:Our success in both Sofia tenders confirms the quality and reliability of our solutions. Sofia has been investing in the modernisation of its electric public transport for a long time, and we are ready to be its partner in further increasing the comfort and environmental friendliness of urban mobility. The new trolleybuses will significantly improve the quality of public transport in the city.
Škoda Group has previously supplied electric vehicles to Sofia, including 30 Škoda 27Tr trolleybuses delivered four years ago, eight metro trainsets under a contract awarded two years ago, and 25 electric trains currently under production for the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport. The new trolleybuses will complement the city’s ongoing efforts to modernise its electric public transport network.
