Four Electric Buses Will Start Operating In The Tux-Finkenberg Glacier Region From 2023
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary, a new era begins for the Tux sports buses - from January 2023, four emission-free MAN E-buses will be used all year round for passenger transport at the foot of the Hintertux Glacier in the Tux-Finkenberg region.
Copyright: Franz Oss
50 years of sustainable mobility in Tux-Finkenberg
When the four electric buses go into service in January 2023, it will be exactly 50 years since the first "free sports bus" was put into operation in the Tux-Finkenberg glacier region. At the time, this offer was something completely new for guests and locals. Since 1973, the buses used have covered 8,000,000 kilometers and transported around 65,000,000 people. The emissions saved through the use of buses and the resulting reduction in individual traffic are enormous.
Now we are taking another step towards freedom from emissions. From January 2023, four electric buses will be used in the winter months on the route between Vorderlanersbach and Hintertux - and in the summer months between Mayrhofen and Hintertux or Schlegeis reservoir. These will continue to bring guests and locals to their destinations free of charge. The battery-powered vehicles are supplied with future-oriented, environmentally friendly, renewable energy and thus replace around 122,500 liters of environmentally harmful fossil diesel fuel for a total of 281,234 kilometers per year. The expected CO2 savings from this are 324,190 kg CO2 per year. In this context, the entire electrical charging infrastructure, including all the necessary technical and safety-related equipment, will be completely rebuilt. But not only the environment is protected, the e-buses also offer a more spacious and, above all, quieter environment for passengers. “In the Tux-Finkenberg region, people are proud that mobility can be made even more sustainable and environmentally friendly in the future. As part of the high mountain nature park Zillertal Alps, this is also a special concern of the region," saysMarkus Tipotsch , chairman of the Tux-Finkenberg tourism association.
Andreas Kröll , Managing Director of Christophorus Reiseveranstaltungs GmbH, emphasizes: "The close and long-standing cooperation between TVB Tux-Finkenberg, the Zillertal Glacier Railway and Christophorus Busbetriebs GmbH makes innovative projects like this possible in the first place. As a local company, the sensitive natural environment is of course particularly important to us. That's why we've been implementing projects for years that contribute to the sustainable development of mobility."
Lars Heydecker knows about the technical background and the great challenge that it was not possible to master in previous pilot projects, Head of Sales at MAN Truck & Bus: "The challenges that the topography in the region entails are now part of the solution. Thanks to extremely efficient recuperation, i.e. through energy recovery when driving downhill, the average daily distance of 220 kilometers can be covered without having to be charged in between." Heinrich Degenhart, training manager at MAN ProfiDrive, adds: "Whereas with diesel engines, to save fuel, the If braking is avoided as far as possible through a smooth and anticipatory driving style, the reverse rule now applies: deceleration with the accelerator pedal is necessary in order to recover energy through recuperation.”
"The use of electric buses in the Tux-Finkenberg region is an important step in the project of the century for emission-free upper side valleys and brings this goal within reach," says Willi Seifert , Managing Director of the Zillertal Alps Nature Park. In the end, that would mean a CO2-neutral visit to these unique excursion destinations in the Zillertal.
