The Walloon public transport company TEC has inaugurated the B2 line in Sart-Tilman, Liège, the first fully electric bus line in Wallonia. The bus line has its own infrastructure and priority at traffic lights.

From now on, 14 articulated e-buses will run on this strategic axis between Guillemins station and Sart-Tilman/Botanique, which is used by 8,000 passengers every day. The journey time is between 23 and 33 minutes, 10 minutes shorter than the previous line.

In time, at least three more Busway lines will be added to TEC.

16 charging stations

The buses on the B2 line with reserved lines have a capacity of 120 passengers and a range of 200 to 250 km. To achieve this, each bus is equipped with seven batteries, each with a total capacity of 686 kWh, compared to the few dozen kWh of a conventional EV battery.

During rush hour, buses of the e-Citaro G brand should run every 5 to 10 minutes. The service runs from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., seven days a week.

To put the line into service, TEC had to modify its depot in Robermont by installing 16 charging stations. The power of the grid connection has been increased fivefold, ensuring a reliable and continuous power supply. A pantograph has also been installed at the Sart-Tilman Botanical terminus to guarantee an additional supply.

The bus stops were also redesigned, bicycle paths and footpaths were improved on the trajectory, and the road surface was renewed.

400 e-buses in the long term

“Electric vehicles enable us to reduce CO2 emissions by 45 tons per year compared to vehicles with combustion engines”, says Jean-Michel Soors, Administrator-General of Walloon Public Transport. “By 2030, we will have 400 e-buses, and by 2045, we will have a completely carbon-free fleet.”

In the Liège region, three other Busway lines are to be built by 2030, which will eventually enable 60,000 passengers to be transported per day. By the end of this legislative period, 300 million euros will have been allocated for the launch of the Busway lines.