Carrosserie Hess

Carrosserie Hess AG, commonly known as Hess AG or HESS, is a Swiss vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Bellach in the canton of Solothurn. The company began in 1882 as a workshop making and repairing bodies for horse-drawn and ox-drawn vehicles. It later evolved into a specialist coachbuilder and commercial-vehicle body manufacturer, ultimately becoming particularly associated with lightweight aluminium bus construction, trolleybuses and high-capacity electric public-transport vehicles. The business was founded by Heinrich Hess in Solothurn. In 1919, his sons Arnold and Emil took over the workshops and redirected the company toward motor-vehicle body construction. Hess entered bus manufacturing soon afterward, producing excursion vehicles for Swiss Alpine routes and developing all-weather versions for the Swiss postal service. The company also supplied bodies and vehicles to public institutions including the Swiss postal service and Swiss Federal Railways. Its use of aluminium, initially introduced to reduce weight, became an important technical characteristic and later supported international licensing and kit-production activities. Hess entered the trolleybus market in 1939, when Biel/Bienne decided to replace its tramway network. The first Hess trolleybuses were delivered in 1940 on Berna chassis with electrical equipment from Brown, Boveri & Cie. Further Swiss orders followed, including vehicles for Basel and Lucerne. The company also produced passenger trailers and military and commercial-vehicle bodies. A new workshop in Bellach opened in 1947, providing capacity for larger contracts. From the 1960s, Hess developed articulated vehicles and expanded its international relationships. Its aluminium bus technology was licensed or supplied in kit form to partners in countries including Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada. The CO-BOLT system, introduced in the 1980s, used bolted aluminium profiles to create a modular body structure. This made production and adaptation easier and became a foundation for later bus designs and licensing projects. The shift toward accessible public transport in the 1990s led Hess to develop low-floor buses and trolleybuses and to take a larger role as a supplier of complete vehicles. The Swisstrolley, introduced in 1991 with NAW, was among the early low-floor trolleybus designs. Hess subsequently developed double-articulated trolleybuses and later high-capacity hybrid and electric buses under the lighTram name. Electrification has become the company’s central strategic direction. Hess participated in the development of the TOSA rapid-charging system, and regular TOSA service began in Geneva in 2017. The lighTram range is offered as battery-electric buses, trolleybuses and vehicles compatible with depot or opportunity charging. Since 2022, after discontinuing the diesel SwissAlpin mountain-bus line, Hess has offered only electrically powered buses in its range. Its vehicles operate in multiple countries, including Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Australia and the United States. In the 2020s, Hess expanded production and adjusted its manufacturing footprint. A facility in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal, began producing body structures and bus shells in 2022. The commercial-vehicle division was announced for relocation from Bellach to Subingen in 2024. Hess also participated in the Swiss eBus plus research project with Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich, while winning orders for trolleybuses and battery-electric buses in cities such as Zürich, Geneva, Neuchâtel, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Nancy, Clermont-Ferrand, Salzburg, Brisbane and Vicenza. In 2024–2025, the company helped complete buses for the Paris-region TZen 4 project after the insolvency of Van Hool. In January 2026, Hess acquired Kiepe Electric’s electric-trolleybus-systems business unit.

Heinrich Hess founded the company in May 1882 in Solothurn as a workshop for customised vehicle bodies. Its early work involved maintaining and repairing wagons, carts and other horse- and ox-drawn vehicles. By about 1900 the workshop employed wagon builders and smiths. In 1919, Heinrich Hess transferred the business to his sons Arnold and Emil, who developed it into a motor-vehicle body manufacturer. Hess began building buses in the period after 1919. Its Car Alpin excursion buses served Swiss Alpine routes and were later adapted with convertible roofs and weather protection. The company progressively adopted aluminium components to lower vehicle weight. It produced bodies for goods vehicles, passenger vehicles, public institutions and military applications, while also developing relationships with the Swiss postal service and Swiss Federal Railways. In 1943, Hess built its first passenger trailer on a Saurer chassis, and in 1946 it introduced self-supporting trailer bodies. A larger Bellach workshop opened in 1947. The company entered trolleybus production in 1939 after Biel/Bienne chose trolleybuses to replace trams. Vehicles were delivered from 1940 onward on Berna chassis with Brown, Boveri & Cie electrical equipment. Orders for other Swiss systems followed. Hess also supplied bodies for the Swiss Armed Forces and later participated in projects involving the DURO all-terrain vehicle. During the post-war period, Hess developed international licensing and kit-building relationships around lightweight aluminium bus construction. It supplied kits and technical assistance to partners in Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, North America and elsewhere. Cooperation with Grenda Bus in Australia led to the establishment of Volgren and licensed production from 1978. Hess’s international work encouraged further development of the CO-BOLT construction system, a modular structure based on bolted aluminium profiles introduced in the 1980s. In the 1990s, low-floor accessibility became increasingly important. Hess began producing low-floor buses and trolleybuses in 1991 and introduced the Swisstrolley with NAW. It also expanded cooperation with chassis suppliers such as Scania and MAN and increasingly delivered complete vehicles rather than only body structures. In 2003, the company created Switzerland’s first double-articulated trolleybus by inserting a centre section into a Geneva vehicle. Series production followed from 2005, with later orders from Zürich and Lucerne. The CO-BOLT 3 design generation, presented in 2006, brought larger glazed areas and revised exterior and interior styling. Hess introduced the lighTram Hybrid in 2007 and subsequently developed hybrid and electric versions for high-capacity urban transport. Trials took place in regular service from 2013, and hybrid lighTram vehicles were delivered to Luxembourg in 2014. From 2014 onward, Hess placed increasing emphasis on battery-electric buses and charging systems. The TOSA system, which allows rapid charging at selected stops, entered regular Geneva service in 2017. The technology later supported projects outside Switzerland, including Brisbane Metro. Hess developed a right-hand-drive lighTram 25 for Australia. In 2022, the company discontinued its SwissAlpin diesel mountain-bus line; the final diesel bus was delivered in March of that year. Since then, Hess has described its bus range as fully electric, encompassing battery buses and trolleybuses. Recent activity has included production expansion in Portugal, a planned commercial-vehicle move to Subingen, major trolleybus and electric-bus orders in European cities, and work associated with the TZen 4 project in France after Van Hool’s insolvency. The company also launched Swiss eBus plus with VBZ in 2024 and announced the acquisition of Kiepe Electric’s electric trolleybus systems unit in January 2026.

1. 2026Kiepe Electric unit acquired

   Hess acquires Kiepe Electric’s electric trolleybus systems business unit.

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2. 2024Swiss eBus plus launched

   Hess and VBZ begin a research programme on efficient battery-electric buses.

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3. 2022Bus range becomes fully electric

   After the final SwissAlpin diesel delivery, Hess discontinues diesel bus production.

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4. 2017TOSA enters regular Geneva service

   A route using TOSA rapid-charging electric buses begins regular operation in Geneva.

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5. 2007lighTram Hybrid presented

   Hess presents a double-articulated hybrid bus for high-capacity urban transport.

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6. 2003First Swiss double-articulated trolleybus

   Hess adds a centre section to a Geneva trolleybus in an experiment that leads to series production.

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7. 1991Low-floor bus and trolleybus production begins

   Hess starts producing low-floor vehicles and introduces the Swisstrolley with NAW.

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8. 1980CO-BOLT modular construction introduced

   The company introduces a bolted aluminium-profile body system for modular bus production.

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9. 1961Articulated-vehicle production begins

   Hess starts building articulated vehicles, later supplying some to operators in North America.

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10. 1947Bellach workshop opens

    A new facility in Bellach expands production capacity.

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11. 1939Entry into trolleybus manufacturing

    Hess begins developing trolleybuses for Biel/Bienne, with the first vehicles delivered in 1940.

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12. 1919Transition to motor-vehicle body construction

    Arnold and Emil Hess take over and begin transforming the workshop into a motor-vehicle coachbuilder.

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13. 1882Company founded in Solothurn

    Heinrich Hess establishes a workshop for customised vehicle bodies and wagon repair.

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Specialist European manufacturer focused on lightweight aluminium bus construction, modular vehicle bodies, high-capacity trolleybuses and battery-electric public transport.

• lighTram 10Battery-electric bus and trolleybus

  A compact lighTram model approximately 10.7 metres long. It is positioned for urban and regional applications where a smaller vehicle is required. The range uses Hess’s electric-vehicle architecture and can be configured for depot charging or trolleybus operation where supported.

• lighTram 12Battery-electric bus and trolleybus

  A roughly 12-metre single-deck electric bus for standard urban routes. Depending on configuration, it can operate as a depot-charged battery bus or as a trolleybus, with charging options designed around the operator’s network and operating pattern.

• lighTram 18 and 19Articulated electric bus and trolleybus

  The articulated lighTram models serve conventional and high-capacity city routes. They are available in battery-electric and trolleybus configurations, and can use depot charging, overhead supply or opportunity-charging systems. Hess has supplied versions to operators in Switzerland and other European markets.

• lighTram 25Double-articulated electric bus and trolleybus

  A 24.7-metre bi-articulated vehicle designed for high-demand urban corridors and bus rapid transit. It is offered in battery-electric and trolleybus forms, including TOSA rapid-charging variants. A right-hand-drive version was developed for Brisbane Metro in Australia.

• BusZugPassenger trailer

  A low-floor passenger trailer designed to be coupled to a 12-metre coach or trolleybus. The concept extends passenger capacity without requiring a fully articulated vehicle and reflects Hess’s long experience in trailer-body construction.

• SwissAlpinMountain bus2007

  A family of smaller mountain buses offered in several lengths and in a 2.55-metre standard width. The line was developed for routes with demanding terrain and was discontinued after the final diesel vehicle was delivered in March 2022, as Hess moved to an all-electric bus portfolio.

• CO-BOLTModular vehicle construction system1980

  Hess’s modular construction approach uses bolted aluminium profiles rather than relying solely on conventional welded structures. The system facilitates adaptation to different vehicle lengths, layouts and licensing requirements and became an important basis for the company’s international bus-kit activities.

• TOSARapid-charging system2017

  An opportunity-charging system for electric buses that replenishes energy at selected stops during service. Hess vehicles using TOSA can be charged along the route, reducing dependence on very large onboard batteries and supporting high-capacity urban operations.

• 2026Acquire Kiepe Electric trolleybus-systems unitM&A

  Hess and Kiepe Electric had previously cooperated on projects in which Hess-built vehicles used Kiepe electrical equipment.

  What changed. Hess acquired Kiepe Electric GmbH’s electric trolleybus systems business unit.

  Aftermath. The transaction expanded Hess’s position in electric trolleybus systems and related engineering capabilities.

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• 2024Relocate the commercial-vehicle divisionStrategy

  Hess sought to free production capacity at Bellach and obtain more modern facilities for its commercial-vehicle operations.

  What changed. The company announced that the commercial-vehicle division would move from Bellach to a new site in Subingen.

  Aftermath. The relocation was intended to separate commercial-vehicle activity from bus manufacturing and support capacity expansion at the main plant.

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• 2022Discontinue diesel bus productionStrategy

  The revised Scania KUB chassis no longer allowed the axle-shortening approach used for Hess’s 2.40-metre SwissAlpin mountain buses. At the same time, the lighTram family had expanded into battery-electric configurations.

  What changed. Hess discontinued the SwissAlpin line and moved to an exclusively electric bus portfolio from 2022 onward.

  Aftermath. The last diesel bus built by Hess was delivered to Bus Ostschweiz in March 2022. The company continued developing battery buses, trolleybuses and associated charging systems.

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• 2022Rebalance manufacturing away from MinskStrategy

  Public and political scrutiny surrounded electric-bus production in Belarus after the country’s political situation and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

  What changed. Hess announced a temporary suspension of bus production at its Minsk plant and planned to shift more manufacturing back to Bellach, while also expanding capacity and operating a new Portuguese facility.

  Aftermath. The company increased activity at Bellach and began producing body structures and bus shells in Vila Nova de Famalicão.

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• 2026Hess acquires Kiepe Electric electric-trolleybus-systems unit

  Hess announced the acquisition of the electric trolleybus systems business unit of Düsseldorf-based Kiepe Electric, building on their earlier cooperation on trolleybus projects.

  M&A
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• 2024Hess supports completion of TZen 4 buses after Van Hool insolvency

  After Van Hool entered insolvency and its Belgian plant closed, Hess agreed with Île-de-France Mobilités and the insolvency administrator to lease production space and employ former staff to complete ExquiCity buses for the Paris-region TZen 4 project.

  M&AOther
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• 2024Hess launches Swiss eBus plus research project with VBZ

  Hess and Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich began a federally supported pilot programme studying energy-efficient battery-electric buses, thermal management and battery technology.

  Product launchOther
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• 2022Hess suspends bus production in Minsk and shifts capacity toward Switzerland

  The company announced a temporary suspension of bus production at its Minsk plant and an increasing return of manufacturing activity to Bellach amid political and supply-chain concerns connected with Belarus and the war in Ukraine.

  Regulation
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• 2022Hess wins Zürich trolleybus fleet renewal order

  Following an international tender, Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich selected Hess for an initial order of battery-assisted articulated and double-articulated lighTram trolleybuses.

  Product launchOther
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• 2022Hess expands production in Portugal

  A production facility in Vila Nova de Famalicão began manufacturing body structures and bus shells as Hess responded to increased demand for electric buses.

  Other
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1. Carrosserie Hess