The first Superbus road tests took place in
Holland.
Carrying 23 passengers at 250 kmh on a dedicated "speed
track", this cross-over between a bus and a limousine is
seen by its European designers as the shape of things to
come in sustainable transport. The idea is that it could
become the choice of travel for business commuters
between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Business executives could
be travelling in the near future aboard an electric- powered
Superbus taking them to their destination in comfort as fast
as a high-speed train.
Offering the convenience of a car, the Superbus is 15
meters long and has eight doors on each side. It would run
on a dedicated two-lane highway between Abu Dhabi and
Dubai, and leave the "speed track" in urban areas to drop
off passengers at agreed locations.
University of Technology in Holland. It has been dubbed
the "Dutch solution" to the three ills of public transportation:
congestion, pollution, and safety.
"The Superbus will tackle the challenges of mobility, spatial
planning, service detail and environmental demands all in
one," said chief designer Antonia Terzi.
Powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries, the 530bhp
carbon fibre vehicle is similar in length and width to a
public bus, but with the height of a conventional SUV. The
Superbus, which uses rear wheel steering, boasts high
maneuverability, formidable breaking power and safety
based on the use of advanced radar and electronic
obstacle detection systems.
The Superbus project is backed by the Dutch government
as well as ten sponsors and 56 suppliers. A business study
carried out by the Dutch government for a high speed
connection between Amsterdam and Groningen in the
north of Holland found the Superbus concept to be the
best option in terms of infrastructure costs, impact on the
environment and passenger numbers.
The Dutch designers, who plan to present the project to
government authorities in UAE, will use the Commercial
Vehicles Conference to build interest from a major audience
of industry buyers.
Superbus does not have a fixed schedule. Commuters book
online or with their mobile phone, and the bus picks them
up and drops them at their desired location.
Although no feasibility studies have been done
yet for the Abu Dhabi-Dubai route, the similar Amsterdam-
Groningen route has been studied by the Dutch
government, with other high speed connection routes
currently under evaluation for several other countries
around the world.
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