The Irisbus Cristalis was a trolleybus introduced in 2000 and manufactured until 2010. It was radically different from earlier French trolleybuses because it used wheel hub motors, which allowed an unobstructed low floor, and it was sold as the 12-metre ETB12 and the articulated 18-metre ETB18.
Irisbus Cristalis at a glance
| Maker | Irisbus |
|---|---|
| Production | 2000–2010 |
| Class | trolleybus |
| Electrical equipment | Alstom |
| Versions | ETB12 (12 m, two axles), ETB18 (18 m, articulated) |
| Design origin | Renault, before the formation of Irisbus |
| First prototype shown | Lyon, December 2000 |
| First vehicles in service | Lyon, January 2002 |
| Operators | Lyon, Limoges, St Etienne, Milan |
| In service in 2016 | 180: 95 ETB12 and 85 ETB18 |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Irisbus Cristalis
A Renault design finished under Irisbus
The initial design work on the Cristalis was undertaken by Renault, before the formation of Irisbus. The second of three prototypes was built for the Lyon trolleybus system and first presented to the public in Lyon in December 2000. The first vehicles of the type entered service in Lyon in January 2002.
Wheel hub motors and a clear low floor
The Cristalis was described as radically different from past French-built trolleybuses because of its use of wheel hub motors, which allowed an unobstructed low floor. The electrical equipment for all units built was provided by Alstom. The design was offered in two versions: the ETB12, a 12-metre two-axle trolleybus, and the ETB18, an 18-metre articulated bus.
Operators and end of production
After Lyon, Cristalis trolleybuses were purchased by the Limoges and St Etienne trolleybus systems in France and by the Milan trolleybus system in Italy. The Grenoble trolleybus system ordered fifteen in 1999, before series production had even begun, but the order was cancelled in 2002, shortly before the city’s transport officials decided to close the trolleybus system. Production ended in 2010, and as of 2016 the total number in service was 180, specifically 95 ETB12 and 85 ETB18.
Design and features
- Wheel hub motors: the drive units sat in the wheels, leaving the low floor free of obstructions.
- Alstom electrics: all units built used electrical equipment supplied by Alstom.
- Two versions: the 12-metre ETB12 and the articulated 18-metre ETB18.
- French and Italian service: Lyon, Limoges, St Etienne and Milan.
Irisbus Cristalis versions
- ETB12: the 12-metre two-axle trolleybus.
- ETB18: the 18-metre articulated trolleybus.
- Lyon prototype: the second of three prototypes, shown in December 2000.
The Cristalis shared the Irisbus trolleybus role with the Škoda-built Irisbus Citelis, and the company’s city buses included the Irisbus CityClass. More buses are in the Irisbus collection.
Video: Irisbus Cristalis ETB 12 et 18.wmv
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Irisbus Cristalis, English Wikipedia: design, prototypes, operators, production
