On the occasion of the European Mobility Week 2023, Flix and Scania announced a long-term partnership to enable more sustainable long-distance travel. The two companies see this cooperation as an opportunity to accelerate the green transition in mobility by developing new solutions and influencing the design of the needed infrastructure.
As a first objective, the two companies aim to equip up to 50 coaches with bio-LNG by 2025, to be run by Flix’s bus partners across the FlixBus network. The technologies used, developed and manufactured by Scania, are devised to allow the use of LNG and bio-LNG interchangeably to facilitate the transition towards the most sustainable gas solution.
In the initial phase of the project, the coaches will run on different fuel mixes of bio and fossil origin. The goal is to progressively increase the share of bio-LNG from organic waste in such mixes until the coaches fully run on biomethane, resulting in an expected CO2 emission reduction rate of around 80% on average. This objective falls within the framework of Flix’s long-term goal of carbon neutrality.
The outfitting of the coaches is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Irizar, the global bus and coach manufacturer, is integrating the Irizar i6s Efficient with the Scania chassis.
Scania’s previous experience with biomethane buses has already made it possible to strongly cut CO2 emissions compared to diesel along with lowering noise, while still relying on the power and torque of equivalent diesel engines. These advantages make biomethane a viable and circular option for long-distance actors seeking to profitably increase their sustainable performance.
“Climate change is increasingly taking its toll on the planet and people’s lives, and as a global travel tech company we are aware of our responsibility in paving the way for a more sustainable future for the communities we serve. Therefore, we are eager to seize any viable opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint on the environment, with fleet transformation being crucial to this end. Scania is an extremely valuable ally for Flix and our bus partners, who operate the business, in different countries, and we are happy to be able to rely on their long-term expertise and know-how to contribute to reshaping long-distance mobility. In time, this will also help us adapt our offering to the rising demand for low-impact travel options from a public that is growing more and more environmentally conscious by the day,” said Fabian Stenger, COO at Flix.
“Our ambition is to be a front-runner in the shift towards sustainable transport, and this collaboration with Flix represents a significant step in that direction. Biogas solutions are truly circular, and they are possible to implement here-and-now, providing a sustainable solution today that meets climate targets and reinforces social responsibility. The LNG/bio-LNG coaches also represent a smart and sensible choice, because they supply the range and power needed to support any route, at low cost in terms of both investment and operating economy. We are extremely happy to do this jointly with Flix as we know that a wide implementation of biogas solutions can have such a positive impact, not only for the operator, but also for authorities and society at large,” commented Johanna Salomonsson Lind, SVP and Head of People Transport Solutions at Scania.
Source: Flix
