CaetanoBus secures follow-up order in Porto

CaetanoBus has been awarded a new €11.6 million contract by Porto’s public transport operator STCP for the supply of 30 e.City Gold electric buses. The order is the second consecutive one for CaetanoBus’ latest generation of zero-emission vehicles, equipped with CATL’s BC5 battery technology.

The e.City Gold buses are 12 metres in length and accommodate up to 88 passengers. It will be unveiled at Busworld 2025 in Brussels in October and features CATL’s BC5 battery systems, offering up to 465 kWh of installed capacity. The BC5 technology is based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and supports fast charging to meet the operational demands of dense urban networks.

The drivetrain and key components are supplied by CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation). Back in June, CaetanoBus announced that CRRC would be supplying the powertrain in the form of a 6-in-1 system that integrates the motor and other power components and controls into a single unit. This, combined with the high degree of integration, should make the drive system up to 70% lighter, according to CaetanoBus. The solution is based, among other things, on the high-voltage IGBT technology developed by CRRC and direct liquid cooling.

This contract is the third time STCP has awarded CaetanoBus a tender for 100% electric buses. Both companies have a long-standing relationship, with STCP operating Caetano vehicles powered by diesel, natural gas, and now electric propulsion systems. The order also marks the second consecutive procurement of CaetanoBus’ latest generation of battery-electric city buses by STCP, following an earlier order for 20 units in 2024. STCP had put out a tender for the purchase of these 30 electric buses in January.

“We are extremely proud to have been selected once again as the preferred supplier in a highly competitive international tender,” said Nuno Lago de Carvalho, Member of the Executive Committee and CCO of CaetanoBus. “The supply of additional electric buses to STCP, a long-standing partner with whom we have collaborated for decades, is particularly significant and it is the second order from STCP for our new generation of electric buses which reinforces its success.”

The continued partnership between CaetanoBus and STCP underlines the performance, safety, and technological maturity of the new generation e.City Gold platform. The model will also be officially presented at Busworld 2025 in Brussels this October, where CaetanoBus will showcase its latest advancements in zero-emission public transport.

Source: Information viae-mail