The USD 26 million contract will upgrade 170 New Flyer Xcelsior XT40 and XT60 trolleybuses originally designed to draw power from overhead lines.

Knorr-Bremse will retain 15% equity in the company, and has committed to remaining a “strategic partner.” Ultimately, the sale falls under Knorr-Bremse’s Boost program, “a strategic initiative aimed at fostering sustainable and profitable growth through various strategic actions.” One of those actions is streamlining business operations by concentrating on core competencies.

Van Hool, Kiepe Electric, and Alstom will be collaborating on a vehicle based on the Exqui.City line of buses for BRT lines.

A new overhead wire system in the Italian city of Pescara is to charge battery-powered buses equipped with In Motion Charging (IMC) technology from Kiepe Electric GmbH of Dusseldorf, Germany, a subsidiary of Knorr-Bremse AG of Munich.