The Irisbus Agora was a low-floor city bus designed and built by Renault from 1995 and sold under the Irisbus name from 1999, when Renault’s and Iveco’s bus divisions merged. It was offered as a standard 12-metre bus, an articulated 18-metre bus and, from 1999, the Agora Line, and more than 11,000 were built for operators across Europe.
Irisbus Agora at a glance
| Maker | Renault (1995–2002), Irisbus from 1999 |
|---|---|
| Production | 1995–2006 |
| Class | low-floor city bus |
| Agora S | 12 m, one, two or three doors |
| Agora L | articulated 18 m, three or four doors |
| Agora Line | 12 m intercity version from 1999, longitudinal engine |
| Engines | diesel and CNG |
| Also built as | Karosa Citybus (Czech Republic), Škoda 24Tr and 25Tr trolleybuses, Astra Bus (Romania) |
| Largest customer | RATP, over 2,500 buses |
| Built | over 11,000 |
| Successor | Irisbus Citelis (2005) |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Irisbus Agora
Renault years, 1995–2002
The bus was designed and built by Renault from 1995 to 2002, when the bus and coach divisions of Renault Véhicules Industriels and Iveco were merged into Irisbus, a joint venture from 1999. Under the Irisbus name it kept the Renault-derived body and, from 1999, was also produced with Iveco engines. The same design was built in several countries: Karosa in Vysoké Mýto assembled it as the diesel-powered Citybus, Škoda built the trolleybus versions 24Tr (12 m) and 25Tr (18 m) for eastern European markets, and Astra Bus of Romania also built the type.
The range: S, L and Line
The range began with the standard 12-metre Agora S, available with one, two or three doors, and the articulated 18-metre Agora L in three- or four-door form. In 1999 came the Agora Line, a 12-metre version with the engine mounted longitudinally under the rear passenger seats instead of transversely as in the S and L. That layout gave the Line slightly more seats and better fuel economy than the standard bus, and the Line was briefly sold in the United Kingdom in right-hand drive. An intercity model called Moovy, unveiled in 2003, was based on the Agora Line.
Operators
More than 11,000 Agoras were built, mainly for European operators. The RATP Group in Paris was the largest purchaser, with over 2,500 buses. In Greece the Athens operator OASA used standard Agoras in both diesel and CNG form, and in Spain the type, sold as the Renault or Irisbus Citybus, was one of the most common buses of the 2000s in Málaga, Sevilla, Madrid, Valencia and Zaragoza. In the Czech Republic 321 Agora S and 53 Agora L buses went to Prague and more than 350 to other Czech cities, all built at the Karosa works in Vysoké Mýto. In England 23 were bodied by Optare, mostly for Norfolk Green, and in Australia a batch went to King Brothers, with six Northcoast Bus & Coach bodies delivered.
Design and features
- Low floor throughout: the whole range was designed as an accessible city bus.
- Three lengths: 10 to 12 metres in the S, 18 metres articulated in the L.
- Line layout: a longitudinal engine under the rear seats freed space for more seats.
- Alternative power: CNG versions and Škoda trolleybus derivatives were part of the range.
- Wide production: built in France, the Czech Republic and Romania.
Irisbus Agora versions
- Agora S (1995–): the standard 12-metre bus with one, two or three doors.
- Agora L: the articulated 18-metre bus with three or four doors.
- Agora Line (from 1999): 12-metre intercity version with a longitudinal engine; basis of the Moovy of 2003.
- Karosa Citybus: the Czech-built diesel version, 321 S and 53 L delivered to Prague alone.
- Škoda 24Tr and 25Tr: trolleybus versions for eastern Europe.
- Renault Citybus / Irisbus Citybus: the name used for the type in Spain.
The Agora was replaced in the Irisbus range by the Irisbus Citelis, and its French equivalent from Iveco was the Irisbus CityClass. More buses are in the Irisbus collection.
Sources
- Irisbus Agora, English Wikipedia: range, production, operators
