Iveco Bus Signed A New Major Contract For 250 Buses In Ivory Coast

After a first significant order in January 2018 for 400 Crossway Low Entry and 50 Crealis buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), the government of the Ivory Coast and the Abidjan Transport Company SOTRA, renew their trust in IVECO BUS, ordering 200 Crossway LE and 50 Crealis Natural Power 18-meter.

With this new order, there will be more than 700 IVECO BUS city buses running in Abidjan!

The signature of this new order took place on July 5th at the Ivory Coast Embassy in Paris in the presence of Amadou Kone, Ivory Coast Minister of Transport, Meité Bouaké, Director of SOTRA, and Sylvain Blaise, Head of Global Product Line Bus.

The 200 Crossway LE and the 50 Crealis NP 18-meter will contribute to expand the public transport network in the capital Abidjan. They will complete the 400 Crossway LE and the 50 Crealis NP already in operation. They confirm thus the strong commitment of the Ivorian government and SOTRA to operate low environmental impact vehicles and implement High Quality Mass Transit Bus.

Designed for mass traffic routes, the 50 Crealis 18-metre will be operated in the entire Abidjan metropolitan area, providing improved service and comfort to passengers in a modern and welcoming interior. The Crossway LE will enhance the existing fleet vehicle and will contribute to the public transport development in Abidjan.

As a pioneer and leader in gas vehicle solutions, as well as in Bus Rapid Transit solutions, IVECO BUS demonstrates once again the international appeal of the French gas industry by exporting it once again to the African continent.

The CNG vehicles offers major benefits in terms of pollution and noise reduction: fine particle emissions are reduced to nearly zero and nitrogen oxide emissions by more than one third, while noise level is reduced by half for an exceptional operating silence. Gas technology is also economically relevant as vehicles with CNG rely on mature technology that has been mastered for many years, both in design, use and maintenance.

This renewed choice by the Ivorian government and Abidjan in favor of natural gas confirms that it is a pertinent solution for the country and a real opportunity with readable gas availabilities. Natural gas vehicles are an effective answer to environmental concerns and represent a real mature and efficient passengers transport solution.

Sylvain Blaise, Head of Global Bus Division, comments: “We are particularly pleased of SOTRA’s renewed trust, confirming IVECO BUS as a key enabler with its products and service solutions, to modernize and massify the Abidjan public transport in a sustainable way.”