October 3, 2021. Semitan, the company responsible for the comprehensive public transport network of Nantes Métropole, the urban community of the French city of Nantes, announced a new order for 74 standard buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG).
The initiative is part of the 2019 renewal program established for 2021-2023. The first vehicle is scheduled in the territory for February 2022, the other 73 will arrive gradually until August of the same year. By 2023, another 89 articulated units are expected in the Nantes Métropole public transport network.
The new buses are Urbanway 12 CNG, manufactured in France, whose size is equal to twelve meters. They are equipped with a new Iveco engine and meet future European pollution standards. They will be able to accommodate 71 passengers with 23 seats and two UFR (wheelchair user) seats.
In 1997, Nantes Métropole made the decision to adopt natural gas as fuel to equip its buses. Today, almost 93% of Semitan vehicles run on CNG in the Nantes area, while the rest of the fleet is electric (6%) and hybrid.
