Carrosserie Hess
Encyclopedia
Carrosserie Hess AG is a bus
, trolleybus
and commercial vehicle
manufacturer based in Bellach
(near Solothurn
), Switzerland
. Its products can be found operating across the globe, including the United States
and Canada
.
to build customised car
bodies. The company first began building buses in 1919, and production reverted to aluminium
products in 1933. It produced its first trolleybuses in 1940 for the Swiss cities of Basel
and Biel/Bienne
. In 1961, it commenced building of articulated vehicle
s, some of which were supplied to operators in the USA and Canada in 1975. The company soon began to expand, and businesses were set up in Portugal
and Australia
in 1957 and 1978 respectively. The USA business was set up in 1996. The company began production of low floor buses and trolleybuses in 1991, and in 2003 built the first ever double-articulated trolleybuses.
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
, trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
and commercial vehicle
Commercial vehicle
A commercial vehicle is a type of motor vehicle that may be used for transporting goods or passengers. The European Union defines "commercial motor vehicle" as any motorised road vehicle, which by its type of construction and equipment is designed for, and capable of transporting, whether for...
manufacturer based in Bellach
Bellach
Bellach is a municipality in the district of Lebern in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.-History:Bellach is first mentioned in 1294 as Bella. In 1307 it was mentioned as Bellacho.-Geography:...
(near Solothurn
Solothurn
The city of Solothurn is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The city also comprises the only municipality of the district of the same name.-Pre-roman settlement:...
), Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Its products can be found operating across the globe, including the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
The company was founded in 1882 when Heinrich Hess set up business in SolothurnSolothurn
The city of Solothurn is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The city also comprises the only municipality of the district of the same name.-Pre-roman settlement:...
to build customised car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
bodies. The company first began building buses in 1919, and production reverted to aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
products in 1933. It produced its first trolleybuses in 1940 for the Swiss cities of Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
and Biel/Bienne
Biel/Bienne
Biel/Bienne is a city in the district of the Biel/Bienne administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is located on the language boundary and is throughout bilingual. Biel is the German name for the town, Bienne its French counterpart. The town is often referred to in both...
. In 1961, it commenced building of articulated vehicle
Articulated vehicle
An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivoting joint in its construction, allowing the vehicle to turn more sharply. There are many kinds of articulated vehicles, from heavy equipment to buses, trams and trains...
s, some of which were supplied to operators in the USA and Canada in 1975. The company soon began to expand, and businesses were set up in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1957 and 1978 respectively. The USA business was set up in 1996. The company began production of low floor buses and trolleybuses in 1991, and in 2003 built the first ever double-articulated trolleybuses.
Buses
- N UB 2-2: A low-floor, two-door busBusA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
with 10m, 11.3m and 12m variants, which can accommodate approximately 82, 86 and 95 passengers respectively. - N UB 2-2-1: Identical to the N UB 2-2 with the addition of an extra door at the rear of the vehicle.
- N UA 2-2-2-2: A low-floor, 18m four-door articulated busArticulated busAn articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
, which has a capacity of around 150 passengers. - Hess LighTram : A 24,69m bi-articulated bus with a duraluminium body. Hybrid version available.
Trolleybuses
- Eurotrolley 3: A 9,7m long half-low floor trolleybusTrolleybusA trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
with a capacity of approximately 80 passengers. Built for Lyon with Kiepe electrical equipment and a Skoda traction motor. - Swisstrolley 3: An 18m long articulated trolleybusTrolleybusA trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
which can accommodate not less 140 passengers. It and LighTram have got a duraluminium body. - lighTram 3Hess lighTram 3The Hess lighTram3 is a 24.7m long double-articulated trolleybus with a capacity of around 192 passengers. It is manufactured by Carrosserie Hess, a bus, trolleybus and commercial vehicle manufacturer based in Bellach , Switzerland. It is in use in several cities in Switzerland including Zurich and...
: A 24.7m long double-articulated trolleybusTrolleybusA trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
with a capacity of around 192 passengers. - trolleyzug: A 23.3m long trolleybusTrolleybusA trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
and trailerTrailer (vehicle)A trailer is generally an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle. Commonly, the term trailer refers to such vehicles used for transport of goods and materials....
with a capacity of around 180 passengers.