The Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois tests Aptis, the 100% electric mobility solution from Alstom and its subsidiary NTL

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Alstom, NTL and the Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois (CTS) are testing Aptis on 20 and 24 November on line 10 of the Eurométropole network, under actual service conditions with passengers. A winner at the Busworld Awards[1] in October 2017, Aptis is an innovative mobility solution co-developed by Alstom and NTL, whose prototypes are being manufactured at NTL's site in Duppigheim, Bas-Rhin.

This experiment will help test Aptis' special features in a new urban setting, prove its ability to fit with existing transport networks, and test its range following successful initial trials in Ile-de-France, Lyon, and Belgium.

Two Aptis prototypes were produced in NTL's Duppigheim facility in order for these tests to take place:

• The two-door version, which was tested in Paris on the RATP system (Lines 21 and 147), in Lyon, Belgium, and now in Strasbourg.
• The three-door version currently in a one-year trial run on the Keolis network in Ile-de-France between Vélizy and Versailles (Line 23).

Besides Duppigheim, four other Alstom sites in France have also contributed to the manufacturing of these prototypes: Saint-Ouen for design, systems integration, and project management, Tarbes for traction, Ornans for motors, and Villeurbanne for powertrain electronics.

Aptis, a bus inspired by trams, offers passengers a unique level of comfort. The built-in low floor and wide double doors enable easy circulation and quick boarding for people with disabilities and strollers. Thanks to its wide windows, the vehicle has 20% more window space than a traditional bus, as well as a lounge area in the rear. Aptis also has a low noise level.

The vehicle is a perfect fit for the urban environment, thanks to its four guide wheels that help minimize the area taken up when turning (25% less than a conventional bus). This performance is also useful at bus stops, because it reduces the amount of parking space required and leaves room for more vehicles.

Aptis can be charged in its depot at night. Alstom will also offer a charging solution at the terminus of each line during the day. Quick charging is done via a reverse pantograph, using SRS, Alstom's innovative static recharging system.

[1] Aptis earned the Innovation Prize at the Busworld Awards on 19 October 2017, in Courtrai, Belgium, during the global bus trade show Busworld.