The city of Móstoles follows the neighboring city of Alcorcón, also part of the Community of Madrid, Spain, to become Arriva Group’s second location to be completely served with zero-emission vehicles, bringing sustainable public transport to around 400,000 people across both areas.
The buses will operate from a newly electrified depot in Móstoles that can charge 22 electric vehicles at once. The site has been built to accommodate future expansion of the fleet, with potential capacity of around 44 vehicles.
“This is great news for our passengers and the communities we serve in and around Madrid,” says Sian Leydon, Arriva Group’s managing director for Mainland Europe. “We’re investing to decarbonize our operations, improve air quality and reduce noise pollution in Spain’s biggest and busiest city.
“By expanding our zero-emission fleet and electrifying a second depot to serve Madrid, not only are we supporting the city’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030, but we’re delivering modern, safe and comfortable forms of public transport that we hope will encourage more people to opt for buses instead of cars,” adds Leydon.
The 21 electric buses serving Móstoles are manufactured by BYD and have been adapted by Spanish coachbuilder Castrosua to improve space and efficiency. These vehicles were welcomed into the Arriva fleet at a ceremony in Móstoles recently alongside the Community of Madrid passenger transport authority Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid (CRTM).
The new buses feature spacious interiors with wider aisles for improved accessibility, on-board Wi-Fi, advanced air conditioning and low floors for enhanced curbside access. The 12-meter version has a range of 300 km on a single battery charge, while the 13-meter model will cover 450 km.
The neighboring Alcorcón depot, which also serves as Arriva’s head office in Madrid, generates 88% of its energy from 242 solar panels and has a 50,000-liter rainwater collection system for bus cleaning. Alcorcón currently services 15 electric vehicles but plans to expand its fleet and introduce more charging facilities in 2025.
Arriva has operated in Spain since 1999 and has more than 950 employees servicing around 40 million passengers annually.