The Italian tour of Aptis, Alstom's 100% electric bus, starts in Florence

#iosonoaptis, a new mobility experience, in 6 Italian cities from March to May 2019

22 March 2019 - Aptis, the 100% electric bus from Alstom, arrives in Italy to be presented to the Italian public, after Spain, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. The Italian tour of Aptis will start from Florence, where it was presented today in the splendid setting of the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. It will then leave for a trial tour across six Italian cities from March to May.

Dario Nardella Mayor of Florence, Vincenzo Ceccarelli Councilor for Transport of the Tuscany Region, Michele Viale Managing Director of Alstom in Italy and Stefano Bonora CEO of ATAF Gestioni, a company of the Busitalia group, technical partner of the Florence tour, were present at the launch conference and took part in the panoramic journey through the city center onboard Aptis

“We are proud to start the Italian tour of Aptis from Florence, a city that is attentive to sustainable mobility. Aptis is an electric bus inspired by the world of trams and allows passengers to experience a unique comfort on board. We hope that the inhabitants and tourists of Florence will have the opportunity to appreciate this innovative e-bus, which will circulate for free in the streets of the city "- said Michele Viale, Managing Director of Alstom in Italy.

Aptis will be in passenger service in the Tuscan capital, free of charge, for 13 days and will be operated in collaboration with ATAF. It will cover 7 different circuits, from the center to the periphery. Passengers will be able to express their appreciation of the travel experience by voting on board and on social media with selfies and messages for Aptis on the Twitter account: @Aptis_Alstom.

Since the prototype was presented in March 2017, more than 40,000 kilometres have been covered in real operating conditions by four test vehicles in Europe. These trials have made it possible to test the characteristics of Aptis, inspired by the tram, in a new context, its insertion performances, its capacity for autonomy, and its driving assistance system.

Aptis, a bus inspired by the world of the tram, provides a unique comfort experience for passengers. Low floors throughout the vehicle and wide double doors allow smooth passenger flows and easy access for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Panoramic windows at the front and rear of the bus provide 20% more window surfaces than a conventional bus, as well as a lounge area at the rear. Aptis won the Innovation award at the Busworld trade show in 2017.

Alstom has just received its very first order for 12 Aptis, each one 12 metres long and equipped with three doors, from the Strasbourg transport company CTS in France.