Alstom received its very first order for its 100%-electric bus, Aptis, from France’s Strasbourg transport company CTS (Communauté des Transports Strasbourgeois). The contract is for 12 Aptis buses, each approximately 40-feet long and equipped with three doors. The Aptis buses will be the first electric buses to reinforce CTS’s vehicle fleet.

Aptis offers an unrivalled passenger experience, according to Alstom. Its berthing system for perfect alignment with the pavement, its fully low and completely flat floor and wide double doors permit easy circulation and convenient boarding for people with reduced mobility and prams. Equipped with large bay windows along its entire length, Aptis offers 25% more windowed surfaces than a standard bus, and a rear seating area with panoramic views of the city.

The vehicles requested by Strasbourg are designed for slow charging, at night in the depot. Aptis is also available for charging at the end of each line whenever necessary, using solutions of ground-based charging (SRS) or charging through the top (inversed pantograph).

Since the prototype was presented in March 2017, more than 24,000 miles have been covered in real operating conditions by four test vehicles en France and in Europe. The trials have made it possible to test the characteristics of Aptis, inspired by the tram, in a new context, its insertion performances, its capacity for autonomy, and its driving assistance system. Aptis won the Innovation award at the Busworld trade show in 2017. It also received the official certificate Origine France Garantie in January 2019; this certificate guarantees that more than 60% of Aptis' added value is French.