So far, 22 units of the CX45E have been delivered to the USA. “Our experience with electrical drive systems in the past, and recently with the CX45E, really helped us with the rapid development and comprehensive testing of the newest Van Hool double-deck, the TDX25E,” he elaborates. He says that this motivated his company to quickly get to work developing a battery-electric double-decker that has a higher passenger capacity. “American customers reacted very enthusiastically to the driving experiences with our first battery-electric coach, the CX45E,” says Filip Van Hool. Van Hool envisions positioning the TDX25E in North America primarily as a vehicle for commuting to work and regular passenger transport. Compared to the diesel-powered sister model TDX25, which has identical external dimensions, this is twelve seats less. Van Hool gives the number of seats as 69 – including 18 seats in the lower level and 51 seats in the upper level. Its double-decker counterpart is almost half a metre taller (3,990 mm) and almost 40 centimetres shorter (13,520 mm) with the same width. The CX45E that was first seen at Busworld Europe in October 2019, comes with dimensions of 13,895 mm length, 3,505 mm height, 2,590 mm width and a wheelbase of 7,735 mm with 56 seats. Of course, the double-decker travel coach also has differences in its dimensions and the number of seats. What is clear is that the plug type is designed for the North American market with CCS Type 1. The analogue values for the TDX25E are not yet available. The CX45E’s DC charging power is 125 kW, and charging time is said to be about five hours (from 5 to 95 per cent SoC). The engine is powered by a 676-kWh battery pack from Proterra (E2), which is a lithium titanate pack (LTO) that is supposed to ensure a range of up to 500 kilometres – “depending on the type of terrain and weather conditions”, says Van Hool headquarters. The manufacturer gives the top speed as 114 km/h (71 mph). In response to an enquiry from electrive, the Belgian company said that both models hold an identical electric drive.īoth the solo and the double-decker coaches are equipped with a Siemens motor (Siemens ELFA II), which has a continuous output of 310 kW, a peak output of 360 kW and a torque of 4,242 Nm. The single-deck Van Hool CX45E that was launched last year, will now be followed by the double-deck TDX25E. According to company head Filip Van Hool, it is thanks to the demand from local customers that the second battery-electric long-distance bus model is now about to make its debut in North America in addition to the existing combustion engine portfolio. According to the company, which is based in Koningshooikt, Belgium, 11,000 of its coaches and buses are currently on the road in the USA and Canada in cooperation with its sales partner ABC Bus Companies. Van Hool has built up its business on the other side of the Atlantic over what has now become decades. The TDX25E is supposed to have a range of up to 500 kilometres and has been created for the North American market. Long-distance buses with battery-electric drives are still a rare species but the Belgian commercial vehicle manufacturer Van Hool pushed zero-emission evolution forward with a double-decker coach with purely electric drive.
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