“BUS2BUS really is something very special“

For Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Affairs Dr. Volker Wissing it was “all aboard please” at the first stop on his tour of BUS2BUS on Wednesday, 24 April 2024. On the stand of MCV he climbed into the spacious interior of a C127 EV to gain an impression of this electric city bus. In conversation with Wissing the Egyptian manufacturer emphasised the company’s production capacity. With a delivery time of only ten months, the company is able to respond relatively quickly to customer orders. The production components are all from Europe.

The stand of the Indian manufacturer JBM was the next stop on the international tour. Its new electric coach is emblazoned with the slogan ‘Proud to arrive in Europe’. It is currently equipped with nine proprietary JBM battery packs which are also on display at the show. The aim is to further increase the range of the bus.

ZF and Daimler Trucks with its Mercedes Benz eCITARO fuel cell are also focusing on electric drive systems. The extended range of this city bus with a fuel cell is the standout feature of this brand new model. The minister was also able to gain an impression of the cabin on the MAN Lion City 12 EL E which features advanced driver assistance systems.

DB Regio is also focusing on digital solutions. At BUS2BUS the exhibits of the Deutsche Bahn subsidiary include a digital platform which simplifies bookings for passengers and makes work easier for rail employees.

In his opening address on the Future Forum Stage, Volker Wissing emphasised the importance of digitalisation for the industry. In that context the ‘Deutschlandticket’ was a success story and a digital service that many people made use of. The aim was to now ensure even better links between the individual networks and to secure multimodal transport.

Transport data was also important in that context. The Mobility Data Act would pave the way for better access, easier collection and better quality of data and facilitate new business models. He noted the networking guide for public transport networks, which would form the basis for all digitalisation processes.

BUS2BUS gave him an insight into a dynamic and progressive industry which featured fascinating digitally intelligent self-driving vehicles. ”BUS2BUS really is something special“, Volker Wissing emphasised.