Iveco is currently fulfilling an order for 400 methane-powered buses to be delivered to the City of Rome, which will be the largest consignment of 'green' buses to be delivered across Europe.

The order was placed of March 16th 2005 by the urban Public Transport Company ATAC of Rome, who appointed Irisbus Iveco to supply four hundred 12-metre long CityClass buses running on natural gas (CNG), as well as a further seventy 7.9-metre long 'Europolis' class buses, running on diesel.

The two models involved are the 'CityClass' CNG, equipped with the new 270 CV Cursor 8 engine, and the 'Europolis' equipped with a particle filter (CRT). The latest generation engine installed on the CityClass has been specially produced to run on methane gas and the emission levels are classified as EEV (Enhanced Environmental Vehicle), that is, the highest level of environmental friendliness and which conforms easily with pollution control legislation that will be introduced after 2009.

Every other aspect of the vehicle's performance is totally in line with corresponding diesel buses in addition to offering a superior level of comfort thanks also the reduced acoustic emissions. The positive technical evaluation adjudged by ATAC of Rome therefore confirms the high overall level of quality of the Irisbus Iveco product.

With this Rome will become the leading Italian city in terms of the number of vehicles in circulation running on methane and, after the deliveries (2007), a forth of its total urban vehicles fleet will run on the CNG.

"This consignment," stated Giuseppe Amaturo, Irisbus Italia Country Manager, "will make a significant contribution to improving the quality of the air in the capital city and, at the same time, represents an extremely important result for Iveco who are seeing their commitment over the last twenty years in the development of motor vehicles with a low environmental impact, with methane constituting the most advanced and financially advantageous example, being rewarded."