Nelec, Castrosua’s bet on urban nature

At Castrosua, we detected a change in trend some time ago that has led us to work, at the forefront, in favor of electromobility. Our environmental commitment and that of our clients encouraged us to sketch, 3 years ago, the first 100% customizable bus bodywork for electric chassis. Today, that bodywork is a reality and has met all our expectations. Our first bodywork for 100% electric urban transport is called Nelec (New Electric Castrosua) and has been designed entirely using 3D methodology. This first unit has been manufactured on an electric chassis, in this case from Scania. With this model, we believe that Castrosua surpasses the standards of excellence in areas such as product customization, safety, and innovation. Furthermore, Nelec has been conceived with all the elements and improvements at our disposal to protect passengers against the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a further demonstration of our ability to adapt agilely to the environment. In this presentation of the bodywork on our blog, it will be difficult for us to hide how proud we are of the project, its development, the result, and all of it the fruit of our aligned and contributing team. First fully customizable bodywork for electric chassis. At our firm, we knew from the beginning that we would bring something new to electromobility if we designed the Nelec bodywork following one of our maxims: that it be completely customizable. An example of this are the two versions of Nelec available for two different environments. One of them with a full low floor for urban transport; another, with a low entry for commuter transport. The interior design of Nelec is as attractive as the exterior and can also be configured according to the needs of each transport company or each city. These are some of the choices that the client can make for the exterior and interior of their Nelec: The Nelec bodywork can be manufactured with two or three doors. The length of the vehicle can range from 11.5 to 13 meters. The interior equipment of the bus, designed entirely by Castrosua, is also flexible and can be configured to the client’s taste, with the possibility of choosing from the different elements that Castrosua offers us in a wide range of possibilities. In the virtual launch of the Nelec bodywork, we presented a unit with 24 seats and space for two wheelchairs and up to 52 standing passengers; however, it is possible to produce it with up to 34 seats and with space for two wheelchairs and up to 63 standing passengers. The 3D design of this bodywork greatly facilitates its customization. Thanks to this methodology, we can make any adaptation requested by the client in an agile manner. 3D technology also helps in the precision of vehicle manufacturing and is of great help in repairing any of its parts. Let’s now talk about another of the strong points of our new bodywork: safety. Nelec has been designed to provide travelers with the greatest protection in all aspects. Measures to enhance driver and passenger safety. Grupo Castrosua always focuses on safety; the Nelec bodywork offers protection to the driver and passenger that goes beyond what is required by state and European regulations. Among the safety elements present in the Nelec design, we could highlight the most important ones: Nelec has a lane departure warning system, from which it is legally exempt, but which enhances road safety. As a novelty, Nelec also incorporates automatic exterior lighting or rain sensors. This bodywork features a front impact proximity radar with automatic emergency braking. We designed Nelec with a pioneering system of side radars that detect obstacles outside the driver’s field of vision and inform about them through acoustic signals. Seeking maximum safety for Nelec, we thought of all the unforeseen events that can affect this type of bus. Despite being legally exempt, this vehicle has an optimized structure to comply with the ECE-R 66/02 rollover regulation; likewise, it has been designed according to the requirements of the ECE-R 118/02 regulation regarding fire behavior. The project for this bodywork began with the enthusiasm of providing truly reinforced active and passive safety. The plot twist of 2020 undoubtedly marked the maturation and final touches of Nelec; so that passengers and drivers would feel comfortable and confident, we added important protection measures against the SARS-CoV-2 virus to the vehicle. Agile implementation of anti-COVID-19 measures. Far from discarding or delaying the launch of Nelec, we decided to adapt this vehicle to current times, rethinking its interior and incorporating various elements to prevent the spread of COVID-19: Furthermore, inside Nelec, we have replaced conventional push buttons with foot buttons or mechanisms that detect the passenger’s hand without physical contact. Both are proprietary Castrosua designs. The bus has an automatic passenger temperature meter with a mask detector included. This vehicle has disinfectant mats and is manufactured with materials that hinder virus adhesion and facilitate cleaning and disinfection protocols. Many of these materials are recycled. All Nelec units will be equipped with several hand sanitizer dispensers. The client can choose between a full or partial partition to separate the driver from the passengers for the safety of both. Innovative design. Although we have focused our efforts on creating an innovative bodywork design and equipping Nelec with the latest advances in safety, we can say that our bodywork breaks with everything that came before without renouncing, at the same time, the essence and successful solutions already implemented by this house. To equip this vehicle, we have introduced the highest technology, achieving advances such as the following: As a first innovative measure, the vehicle was designed with specific ducting for the air conditioning circuit. We managed to reduce the weight of this new bodywork. Nelec is lighter, therefore, it contributes to the exploitation of this type of vehicle. Indirect lighting with LED lights has allowed us to give the interior of the vehicle a great sense of spaciousness and brightness, which translates into greater comfort for travelers and frees up the feeling of obstacles. Technology has been a fundamental ally in designing a completely ergonomic driver’s space equipped with the greatest comfort, as well as the utmost care for all PMR areas to facilitate transport for people with reduced mobility. Grupo Castrosua faces electromobility with one of the most complete bodyworks for electric chassis. Nelec is a non-polluting, silent, comfortable, and modern vehicle that offers transport companies and passengers a very attractive and responsible alternative for their journeys. The meaning of Nelec for Castrosua. Perhaps due to the context in which it was born, Nelec is already one of the vehicles that have marked a milestone for Castrosua. Our team of professionals, who have risen to the challenges, have managed to incorporate market needs and our continuous commitment to eco-sustainable urban mobility into Nelec. Although Castrosua emerged as a bodywork company dedicated to the manufacture of discretionary vehicles with models like the Master 35 that have crossed borders, it soon assumed great social responsibility and, over the years, developed a firm environmental responsibility. In 2008, we surprised by producing Spain’s first hybrid bus, thus consolidating our leadership in the national manufacture of bus bodyworks. Now, we are prepared to contribute to the firm impulse of electromobility, taking care of urban nature and without ceasing to care for our influence and contribution; in fact, Castrosua’s international expansion has increased significantly since 2014. We are convinced that Nelec is designed for you and that our new bodywork is ready to go as far as you let us. And you, what do you think? Do you dare to try it? Did you like it?