FlixBus Made the Choice of a True Sustainable Mobility Solution With the IVECO BUS Crossway Natural Gas

The model chosen by FlixBus operator is 13 meters long. With a total capacity of 1,260 litres (four 315-liter tanks), the vehicle has a range of minimum 600 km in long-distance missions. It’s equipped with the latest-generation IVECO CURSOR 9 CNG engine which delivers 360 hp or 265 nm. The Crossway CNG is especially environmentally-friendly as it can run on biogas.

The coach assigned to the FlixBus biogas mission is joining the fleet of Belgium transporter Coach Partner. The operation is scheduled to cover daily and twice per day the round trip Brussels – Amsterdam – Brussels of 415 km each, and over a three-year period.

Environment and public health respect

The Crossway CNG is fully compatible with energy transition projects. It offers high performance in terms of pollutant and sound emissions reduction. With natural gas, fine particle emissions levels are reduced to nearly zero, and nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced by more than one third. The noise level is also reduced by half, offering exceptional operating silence for the driver and passengers. Natural gas vehicles are therefore the only proven, affordable fossil-fuel-free solution equipped to meet today's and tomorrow's mobility challenges.

The Crossway CNG also helps preserving natural resources, as it is 100% compatible with biomethane, produced from organic waste. OrangeGas, supplier of the biomethane for the Flixbus operation, is partnering with Amsterdam municipality which is producing biogas from municipal sewage sludge. The biogas is purified to reach quality to be injected in the Dutch gas grid. The Crossway CNG fuelled with biogas allows to reduce significantly CO2-emissions. Atmosfair, the climate-NGO Flix partner for climate strategy and CO2 off-setting, indicates that the CO2 reduction thanks to biomethane is of 75% compared to diesel operations on the routes.

Methanising municipal biowaste is a solid example of circular economy of how wise waste management can turn into local low carbon energy for transport, fully aligned to the requirement of European Green Deal, and in a very affordable and efficient way. Numerous studies show evidence of the benefits of biomethane for transport: attractive Life Cycle Analysis, contribution to reduction of CO2, TCO near-parity to Diesel and maturity and scalability. IVECO BUS is leader in gas mobility in Europe, with ca. 1.000 CNG buses sold in 2020, for citybus, coach and minibus.

The Crossway CNG includes a clever design which integrates the compressed gas tanks into the roof. This exclusive, patented feature optimizes the vehicle's centre of gravity for greater on-road stability and increases comfort for both driver and passengers. This integration also gives the vehicle the lowest overall height on the market (3,455 mm), meaning that it can be operated without issues caused by road infrastructure such as bridges or underpasses.

Comfort and accessibility

True to its DNA, the Crossway CNG has various advantages in terms of handling, driveability, driver’s seat ergonomics, active and passive security (ABS, ASR, ESP, LDWS) and reliability. Fully accessible for every passenger due to its front and middle double doors (1,200 mm), the Crossway CNG also offers a hydraulic ramp, a space opposite the middle door for one wheelchair and a 5.1 m3 volume of luggage compartment.

On board, the spacious interior has a minimum two meters height and features hand luggage racks. It provides excellent travel conditions and comfort for 44 seated passengers who can benefit of seats with table on rear side of the backrest, magazine net, luggage space, 2 LCD monitors 19", toilette, air condition. USB ports make it possible for passengers to recharge their mobile phones, tablets, MP4 players.

Intellibus Telematics: a whole set of services tailored to our customers vehicles and mission

Flixbus has chosen to fit this Crossway CNG with the Intellibus telematics offer, that provides a complete pack of Digital services, part of the IVECO ON offering.

The Intellibus fleet management system, also known as " Fleetweb", is an essential asset for the operator in its fleet management. Indeed, this key tool for real-time data collection also allows online storage, for constant monitoring, as well as optimization of operations and daily maintenance of vehicles.

Stéphane Espinasse, Head of the IVECO BUS Brand, commented: "We are extremely proud that FlixBus elected the Crossway bio-CNG to launch their first international biogas line. It’s a perfect example of a unique proven and mature technology to drastically reduce CO2 emissions for this type of mission. This choice acknowledges IVECO BUS leadership and expertise and confirms that we are a partner of reference in this field “.