The 40-foot buses are set to be supplied by the US bus manufacturer New Flyer and are expected to be operational in Orange County, Southern California, by the end of 2026. The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has committed $77.5 million (73.5 million euros) towards the acquisition of these new zero-emission buses, aiming to transition its entire fleet to zero-emission vehicles by 2040 as required by California state law. In addition, the Clean Transit Rule mandates that 25% of new bus acquisitions be zero-emission starting in 2023, which will escalate to 50% by 2026 and reach 100% by 2029.
While OCTA hasn’t specified the exact models purchased, it’s probable they include the battery-electric Xcelsior Charge NG and the fuel cell-electric Xcelsior Charge FC. The battery variant is equipped with a battery pack that has a total energy capacity ranging from 345 to 520 kWh. Given that OCTA has procured the 40-foot version (12 meters), it should have a maximum range of up to 254 miles (409 kilometers) with the 520 kWh battery configuration. However, it’s still uncertain which specific variant OCTA has selected.
For the fuel cell version, the Xcelsior Charge FC has a range of up to 370 miles (approximately 600 kilometers) on a single refueling, according to New Flyer. It can accommodate more than 80 passengers—40 seated and 42 standing—along with two designated wheelchair spaces. The fuel cell technology is supplied by Ballard Power Systems. As reported by Metro Magazine, these new buses will be equipped with a comprehensive array of technology and safety features, such as video surveillance systems, cameras for reverse motion, and systems for detecting fire and hydrogen.
The newly acquired buses will take the place of current compressed natural gas (CNG) units. The funding for the FCEVs and BEVs comes partially from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and California Climate Investments. Additionally, OCTA has approved the installation of eleven charging stations at depots, which will cost $2.2 million (about 2 million euros).
OCTA completed a Zero-Emission Bus Pilot Program after testing fuel-cell and battery-electric buses in 2020 and 2022, respectively. This pilot program encompassed ten buses, with each technology type represented.
“I’m proud that OCTA is an industry leader in transitioning to zero-emission technology,” commented OCTA Chair Tam T. Nguyen. “And I’m pleased that we are providing a standard for a future where our passengers can rely on consistent bus services while safeguarding our environment.”
California’s Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) plans to invest $78 million in 50 zero-emission buses, comprising 40 units that utilize hydrogen fuel cell technology.
The Canadian bus manufacturer New Flyer will provide the hydrogen and battery-operated buses, which are slated to be operational by late 2026. This initiative aligns with California’s directive for all public transit agencies to reach zero-emission operations by 2040.
H2 View has reported that funding for the bus purchases has been facilitated by the Federal Transit Administration and California Climate Investments through resources generated by the state’s cap-and-trade carbon program.
“I’m honored that OCTA is at the forefront of the shift to zero-emission technology,” stated OCTA Chair, Tam Nguyen, “and I’m happy that we are establishing a benchmark for a future where our passengers can rely on dependable bus service while promoting environmental protection.”
Starting in 2023, California’s Clean Transit Rule has required that 25% of new bus purchases be zero-emission, with this requirement increasing to 50% by 2026 and ultimately reaching 100% by 2029.
Hexagon Purus has agreed to provide hydrogen cylinders for New Flyer’s buses in North America, marking the continuation of their partnership for a fifth consecutive year.
Furthermore, earlier this month (November), the bus manufacturer increased its initial order of fuel cell engines from Ballard Power Systems. Under this revised agreement, Ballard will supply up to 200 fuel cell engines in 2025.
Currently, New Flyer is engaged in a project aimed at reducing the weight and volume of fuel cell propulsion systems by more than 50% without the necessity for an additional battery system.
The Center for Transportation and Environment (CTE) has initiated a proof-of-concept project for a battery-free hydrogen fuel cell bus in collaboration with New Flyer, Nimbus Power Systems, and AC Transit.
The acquisition will consist of 40 hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses and 10 battery-electric buses, which will take the place of aging compressed natural gas buses.
Although compressed natural gas is a cleaner option and marked a significant improvement from the polluting diesel technology of earlier generations, both hydrogen and battery-electric buses emit no pollutants into the atmosphere.
“I’m proud that OCTA is at the forefront of the transition to zero-emission technology,” stated OCTA Chair Tam T. Nguyen. “And I’m pleased that we are establishing a standard for a future where our passengers can depend on reliable bus service while also safeguarding our environment.”
The shift towards zero-emission technology is in line with the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) 2018 Innovative Clean Transit Rule, which requires all public transit agencies in California to completely convert their bus fleets to zero-emission vehicles by 2040. According to the rule, 25 percent of new bus acquisitions must be zero emission starting in 2023, rising to 50 percent by 2026 and reaching 100 percent by 2029.
As part of this agreement, New Flyer of America Inc. will supply OCTA with 40 hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses and 10 battery-electric buses, each measuring 40 feet.
All newly acquired buses will come equipped with an extensive array of technology and safety features, such as video surveillance systems, reverse-motion cameras, fire and hydrogen detection systems, driver barriers, and electronic fare transaction devices.
Through its Zero-Emission Bus (ZEB) Pilot Program, OCTA initiated testing of both fuel-cell and battery-electric buses in 2020 and 2022, respectively. This pilot program has involved 10 buses of each type of technology.
These pilot initiatives, which evaluate each technology under real-world conditions on the streets of Orange County, California, have provided OCTA with important operational and technological insights, aiding in the identification of the most effective technology or combination of technologies to serve OC Bus riders’ needs.
Funding
OCTA notes that the cost of acquiring zero-emission technology mandated by the state is significantly higher than that of a conventional compressed natural gas bus, thus, it will strive to minimize expenses and secure funding to comply with the state requirement.
The initial estimate for the acquisition of the 40 hydrogen fuel-cell buses and 10 battery-electric buses stood at $84.4 million. However, through strategic discussions, which included utilizing California’s zero-emission vehicle sales tax exemption, OCTA successfully lowered the expense to $77.5 million.
The financial breakdown will allocate $63.6 million for the hydrogen fuel-cell buses and $13.9 million for the battery-electric buses.
The financing for these buses will derive from a blend of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds and state funds sourced from California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that invests billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, bolster the economy, and enhance public health and the environment, particularly in underserved communities.
Chargers
In a separate decision, the OCTA Board of Directors also sanctioned the acquisition of 11 battery chargers.
These chargers, which will be purchased for $2.2 million, are set to be installed at OCTA’s bus base in Santa Ana, California, where the new battery-electric buses will be charged and serviced.
Currently, OCTA has the 10 battery-electric buses stationed at its Garden Grove facility, while the hydrogen fuel-cell buses are based at the Santa Ana facility, which in 2020 unveiled the largest hydrogen fuel tank in the nation, according to the agency.
The new buses are anticipated to start operating on Orange County streets by late 2026.
“This is a major investment in the future of public transport in Orange County,” remarked OCTA CEO Darrell E. Johnson. “We look forward to continuing collaboration with our state and federal partners to secure the funding necessary for an even greener transit future while further enhancing the lives of our riders and communities through public transport.”
What is a zero emission bus?
A zero emission bus (ZEB) produces no exhaust fumes or emissions from its on-board source of power. Zero emission technologies for passenger vehicles include:
battery electric buses. A mature technology that use stored energy from the electricity grid to drive an electric motor supplied from an on-board battery. They produce no direct tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions. The buses are fully zero emissions when powered by 100% renewable energy
hydrogen fuel cell electric buses. An emerging market technology that convert hydrogen to electricity to power an electric motor. They produce no direct tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions. The buses are fully zero emissions when powered by 100% renewable energy to produce green hydrogen
The adoption of electric buses in urban public transport is increasing globally. It originated in China, and it has taken several years for other areas to begin their shift.
In the first half of 2024, according to ACEA’s statistics, the market for zero-emission city buses in Europe experienced a 45% increase, with Germany and Spain showing growth while France saw a decline. The German market saw a growth of 19% from January to June 2024.
The European electric bus market in 2023 witnessed a 53% rise in registrations, totaling 6,354 in the EU27, along with Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland. Over 42% of city buses are now zero-emission (battery-electric and hydrogen), having quickly expanded from 15% in 2020, tripling in just three years.
In 2023, MAN became the top player in the electric bus sector, followed by Solaris, Yutong (which held the top position in 2022), and Wrightbus. The latter saw significant growth, increasing by 320% compared to 2022. The only brand that experienced a decline in volumes in 2023 was the joint venture between Alexander Dennis and BYD.
Looking back a bit, 2019 is notable as the year when electric bus sales volumes significantly increased. While 2018 saw a 48% rise in the European electric bus market compared to 2017, 2019 marked a tripling in electric bus registrations in Western Europe. In 2020, despite the Covid pandemic, the battery-electric bus market in the same region grew by 22%, with 2,062 e-buses registered. Notably, six European countries registered a number of zero-emission buses (including battery-electric and fuel cell buses) that accounted for more than 25% of Class I registrations.
The years 2021 and 2022 saw notable developments in the electric bus market in Europe. Registrations of electric buses rose by 48% in 2021 compared to 2020, with 3,282 e-buses delivered that year, taking the total registrations in the continent since 2012 to over 8,500. It’s noteworthy that for the first time in 2021, three European countries registered more than 500 e-buses, with Germany leading this group (555 units), followed by the UK (540) and France (512).
By the end of 2022, Yutong topped the electric bus market in Europe for that year, which was somewhat unexpected. The joint venture of Alexander Dennis and BYD and Daimler Buses maintained their positions in second and third place. The electric bus market in Europe grew by 26% in 2022, hitting 4,152 units registered (up from 3,282 in 2021, which marked a 48% increase over 2020).
Forecasts about electric bus deployments indicate promising trends according to various studies. The 2024 Electric Vehicle Outlook states that “Municipal buses are rapidly electrifying, with over 60% of sales expected by 2030, reaching 83% by 2040.” According to Bloomberg, electric buses are predicted to make up 86% of the global fleet by 2050. The BloombergNEF analysts mention that the segment is “Almost on track: minor additional measures needed” to achieve the Net Zero Scenario of a 100% zero-emission vehicle share by 2050.
The industrial landscape is evolving: since 2017, the market share of EU manufacturers in the electric bus sector has fallen from 74% to 54%, while Chinese manufacturers have increased their share to 24%, according to Rabobank’s analysis titled “Electric city buses: Trade and technological dynamics shape the sector,” published in mid-2024.
Another study released in 2021 by financial consulting firm ING predicts that one-third of the 200,000 buses in European public transport will be zero-emission by 2030. By that time, zero-emission buses will account for two-thirds of new city bus registrations. ING clearly states: “This will be the decade of change.”
The global electric bus market is set to reach 670,000 units by 2027, up from 112,000 in 2022, according to a report by MarketsandMarkets. The report highlights that “North America, including the US and Canada, is expected to be the fastest-growing market during the forecast period,” driven by rising demand for electric mass transit solutions, expansion from renowned OEMs, and government support.
A rising number of electric buses are being deployed globally. India is a market with significant potential, demonstrated by the 70,000 buses sold in 2017, especially as electric options begin to make up a portion of future orders. Research firm Interact Analysis projects that by 2025, India will represent over 10% of the global annual demand for electric buses, surpassing Europe and North America combined. According to a recent study by investment agency ICRA Limited, it is anticipated that electric buses will constitute between 11% and 13% of new bus sales in India by 2025, with zero-emission bus penetration at 5-6% during the first half of 2023.
The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) programs have enabled the deployment of more than 10,000 buses in key cities utilizing innovative financing strategies. The government agency Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) is now spearheading the ambitious National Electric Bus Program (NEBP), aiming to deploy 50,000 electric buses nationwide by 2030.
In 2022, the Indian e-bus market experienced a remarkable growth of 65%. However, a report from Reuters in late 2022 indicated that Indian banks are hesitant to finance electric-bus manufacturers.
What about the electric bus market in the United States? Market share stood at roughly 0.5% of the total U.S. public transit bus market by the end of 2017, while 9% of all transit agencies either operated or had ordered electric buses. Progress is rapid! According to BloombergNEF data, by the end of 2019, there were around 450 electric buses among nearly 75,000 municipal buses in operation across the U.S. The deployment of zero-emission buses in the U.S. grew by 27% in 2021, reaching a total of 3,533 buses (both in operation and on order).
As reported by Dan Raudebaugh, Executive Director for the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), in October 2020, there were just over 1,000 zero-emission buses deployed in the United States. He expressed concern that the growth rate for this number may slow due to COVID-19, but expects the market to continue its rapid expansion in the long run, asserting that the transit sector could be the first major vehicle market to fully transition to zero emissions.
According to CALSTART, the U.S. saw a 12% increase in zero-emission bus adoption in 2023, with hydrogen fuel cell bus figures rising significantly by 76%. As of September 2023, the total number of e-buses in the U.S. stood at 6,147, reflecting a 66% surge in the e-bus market for that year.
In Latin America, the shift to electric buses is underway now! Between 2018 and 2019, two major cities in South America revealed plans to convert their public transport fleets to electric buses. Chile is targeting the establishment of the second-largest electric bus fleet in the world, following China. Santiago de Chile has already received 200 electric buses from China, split evenly between Yutong and BYD brands. Following Santiago’s lead, Medellin has also begun its journey toward electric buses, placing an order for 64 zero-emission vehicles from BYD shortly after Santiago’s delivery.
Aimed at accelerating electric bus adoption in South America, the ZEBRA project has set a goal to “shift all new bus procurements in leading Latin American cities to Zero Emission technologies.” This initiative, managed by ICCT and C40, focuses on South American cities such as Medellin, Mexico City, São Paulo, and Santiago de Chile.
In late 2022, São Paulo’s Transit Agency SPTrans, which operates over 13,000 buses, decided to stop acquiring new diesel buses. Earlier that same year, Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, ceased the procurement of fossil-fueled buses. This information has been reported in local media and on the C40 website. It is projected that by the end of 2024, São Paulo will have a fleet of at least 2,600 electric buses running on municipal routes.
In 2023, Volvo Buses commenced its first demonstration of a fully electric city bus in actual operation within Latin America. Additionally, this year witnessed the entry of Irizar e-mobility into the Mexican bus market.
Forecasts regarding the deployment of electric buses in Latin America suggest that by 2030, 25,000 e-buses will be on the roads. Recent statistics reveal that the number of electric public buses in the region has surged by over 100% from 2020 to April 2023, marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of sustainable urban mobility.
As of late 2023, data from the E-Bus Radar indicates that electric buses represent 4.5% of the total bus fleet in the 32 cities analyzed in the new study “Pipeline of Electric Bus Projects in Latin America,” which was commissioned by C40 in collaboration with the Clean Transport Finance Academy in 2023.
The study forecasts the introduction of more than 25,000 e-buses by 2030 and an impressive 55,000 by 2050, supported by a substantial investment of $13.2 billion.
Update on electric buses in Europe: The start of the electric bus revolution in the Amsterdam region dates back to the end of 2018, when Connexxion, which operates around Schipol Airport, had the largest fleet of electric buses in Europe. For the Amstelland Meerlanden concession, VDL Bus & Coach supplied 100 electric buses to Connexxion, which began service on April 1, 2018.
The order of electric buses for Amstelland Meerlanden remains the largest single order received by VDL Bus & Coach, and with a total of 100 electric buses, it represents the largest electric bus fleet operated by a single company in Europe. These 100 articulated e-buses together cover up to 30,000 km each day. The buses can be charged in 20 minutes or less at charging stations located along their routes, ensuring 24/7 service.
Amsterdam’s city center is also incorporating electric buses. The initial vehicles were delivered in the spring of 2020, with more on the way: a deal signed in December 2018 between the carrier and VDL Bus & Coach includes 31 electric buses, consisting of 9 standard 12-meter buses and 22 articulated ones, with an option for 69 additional buses.
Regarding Rotterdam’s electric bus initiatives, in 2018, VDL Bus & Coach received a contract for 55 electric buses from RET, the public transport operator in Rotterdam. That same year, the Dutch public transport company EBS placed 10 units of the VDL Citeas SLFA-181 electric bus into operation.
Still in the Netherlands, Heliox delivered a fast charging system for the HTM’s fleet of electric buses in The Hague.
As of November 2020, more than 750 VDL Citeas Electric buses in Europe had collectively covered a total of 75 million kilometers powered by electricity. A new generation of the Citea range was introduced in 2022.
However, after a period of growth during the initial phase and a strong showing in 2022, VDL experienced a significant drop in e-bus registrations in 2023. The company is facing challenges in maintaining a strong presence in the European e-mobility sector, with its bus and coach division reporting a 40% decline in revenue in the first half of 2023.
The Netherlands has emerged as a leader in electric bus adoption in Europe. The Dutch electric bus market was the first in Europe to demonstrate a clear upward trend, thanks in part to an agreement made in 2015 by the public transport authority leaders in the Netherlands. Starting in 2025, all newly purchased buses for public transport must be emission-free. By early 2020, 10% of the Dutch fleet had already transitioned to electric power. This rapid advancement brings with it both challenges and opportunities.
In March 2019, it was announced that over 160 electric buses would be set to operate in the new Groningen-Drenthe concession. The public transport operator Qbuzz, which is owned by Italian railways FS, will receive this substantial batch of vehicles from three manufacturers: the largest share will come from Ebusco, which will provide 60 e-buses, while VDL will contribute 43 zero-emission vehicles, and Heuliez Bus will supply 59. These 162 buses will augment the existing 10 VDL electric buses already in service.
In September 2019, Keolis was granted a new contract in the provinces of Veluwe, Central Overijssel, and Lelystad, covering the period from 2021 to 2030. Following this contract, Keolis awarded BYD with the largest single order for battery-electric buses to date in Europe: 259 BYD buses were deployed, although some issues arose during this process.
Lastly, in the UK, the operator Stagecoach introduced 105 double-decker electric buses into its fleet between 2019 and 2020. This was part of a plan announced by the British operator in September 2018, with an investment totaling around £56 million (with £34.6 million from the company and £21.5 million from the government). The electric bus involved in this project is the Enviro400 EV City by ADL-BYD.
Solaris secured significant contracts for electric buses in 2019. One of the leading European manufacturers of electric buses is Solaris Bus & Coach. Although based in Poland, the company has been acquired by the Spanish group CAF and will enhance Hamburg’s public transport fleet with 10 Solaris Urbino 12 electric buses. The Senate of Hamburg has made a decision mandating that all buses purchased by local operators must be environmentally friendly electric vehicles starting in 2020.
In 2018, Solaris completed several deliveries: three articulated buses were sent to Barcelona (where TMB also received two Irizar ie trams), five Urbino 12 Electric buses marked the initiation of Frankfurt’s 2030 transition plan, and the first zero-emission buses were supplied to the Baltic region (Latvia).
What about 2019? This year, Solaris secured a contract for 130 electric buses in Warsaw and a framework agreement for 250 units in Milan. The company stated that “25 percent of the electric buses awarded in 2019 in Europe are produced by Solaris” as of September 2019.
Additionally, a significant order of no fewer than 107 electric buses was placed by BVG Berlin. The first of these vehicles commenced operations in the spring of 2020, according to the operator’s report. Specifically, the delivery will include 90 buses measuring 12 meters and 17 that are 18 meters long, all scheduled to be delivered by the end of this year. Moreover, 15 Mercedes eCitaro buses have already been delivered.
In October 2020, Solaris revealed its inaugural electric intercity bus. The Urbino 15 Low Entry Electric is notable for being built on a platform exclusively designed for electric use. This vehicle is intended for both Class I and Class II routes and will undergo testing in regular service during the first half of 2021. In late 2023, Nobina ordered 55 electric 15-meter regional buses from Solaris, with deliveries anticipated in the last quarter of 2024.
Solaris is strongly focusing on the development of Class II intercity electric buses: in September 2023, the company appointed Luca Cordiviola as the Interurban Platform Director to enhance its zero-emission bus offerings.
Furthermore, Solaris concluded 2020 by claiming the title of European market leader in electric buses; the company saw its registrations rise from 162 units in 2019 to 457 in 2020, resulting in a remarkable increase of 187%.
In March 2024, Solaris announced that vehicle sales amounted to 1,456 units in 2023 (a 2.4 percent reduction compared to 1,492 units sold in 2022), yet this still represented an 18% increase in revenue from the previous year, reaching 819 million euros. The company sustained its leading role in the market for zero-emission buses (comprising both BEV and FCEV models, while MAN emerged as the leader in the battery-electric bus segment), holding a 15.2% market share and maintaining its top position since 2012 with a cumulative 14.5% share.
Volvo is recognized as a significant voice for electric buses in the Nordic region. Volvo Buses was the first manufacturer to halt the production and sales of diesel buses in the European market coinciding with the implementation of the Euro VI standard.
Gothenburg, Volvo’s hometown, has spearheaded the transition to a zero-emission bus system in Sweden. In 2018, Volvo Buses received an order for 30 electric 7900 buses from Gs Buss, a subsidiary of Göteborgs Spårvägar, and the Public Transport Authority Västtrafik. This represented the largest order of all-electric buses in Sweden, surpassing the previous biggest order given to VDL from Umeå municipality, which consisted of 25 e-buses.
Volvo Buses also announced the sale of 23 electric buses to Leiden in the Netherlands (for Arriva) and another 17 buses to Oslo. Additionally, in Norway’s capital, VDL will run 40 electric buses and BYD will operate 42.
At Busworld Europe 2019, Volvo introduced the Volvo 7900 Electric Articulated, which was finally ready for mass production. This model features a newly developed driveline (an in-wheel electric motor created in-house) and increased battery capacity, which can reach up to 396 kWh.
Significant changes were announced in 2023, as Volvo Buses declared its intention to cease producing complete buses, both urban and coach versions, in Europe. Following this, the manufacturer signed letters of intent with MCV for the manufacturing of bodies for city and intercity buses, and with Sunsundegui for tourist buses.
In December 2023, Volvo secured its first order for 15 Volvo 7900 Electric buses with MCV – Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles as the coachbuilder.
Just a year later, in March 2024, Volvo Buses launched a new electric bus platform for Low Entry and High Floor intercity electric buses.
Irizar has established the first European plant exclusively dedicated to electric buses. On May 11, 2018, Irizar opened this facility, which covers 18,000 square meters and is located on a 4-hectare site in Aduna, Gipuzkoa, near San Sebastián. This plant is where Irizar will manufacture all its electric vehicles and components.
Being the first European bus manufacturer to have a plant centered around electromobility, Irizar also constructs the entire electric bus, including its components, under one roof through the various companies within the group.
The inauguration of the Aduna facility also served as a platform to unveil the ie truck, the company’s first electric truck, to the media and clients worldwide.
Voyages Emile Weber group from Luxembourg has acquired ten electric buses from Irizar, specifically the ie bus model. Six of these buses have already been deployed, while the remaining units are expected to arrive by the end of 2018. In the same year, Irizar e-mobility entered into an agreement with RDT 13 for the delivery and maintenance of 15 units of the latest generation Irizar ie tram electric bus. These vehicles are slated to operate in Aix en Provence.
In May 2019, Amiens Métropole along with Keolis introduced what they claim is “the first electric BRT in France,” utilizing electric buses across four new rapid transit routes. The buses used for this initiative are 43 units of the Irizar ie tram, which contribute to a total fleet of 136 buses in the city.
In 2020, the firm, which has an electric bus lineup that includes the updated Irizar ie bus and the Irizar ie tram, received substantial orders from Orleans, France, as well as its second notable success in Germany with Frankfurt (after delivering 10 vehicles to Dusseldorf).
The Spanish manufacturer secured another order in February 2020 for 14 e-buses in Genoa and later, in October, for 49 e-buses in Strasbourg. Additionally, a third order was made by EMT Madrid for the domestic market, with 20 Irizar zero-emission buses set to operate in the capital.
The Mercedes eCitaro represents a significant shift in the market landscape. While manufacturers like VDL, Solaris, Volvo, and Irizar began producing electric buses earlier, bigger companies such as Mercedes, MAN, and Iveco started their electric bus production in 2019 and 2020. Mercedes showcased the eCitaro, its inaugural battery electric bus, in the summer of 2018 before its world premiere at IAA 2018. Production on this model began in late 2018, featuring advanced thermal management and powered by the ZF electric portal axle AxTrax (formerly known as Ave130).
In the first few months, two orders were confirmed: one for 15 units by BVG Berlin and another for 20 vehicles from Hamburger Hochbahn.
The initial units of the eCitaro were distributed in late 2018 and early 2019, with the first series production model delivered to Hamburg. Following this, BVG Berlin also received units, as well as Mannheim and Heidelberg, where three Mercedes eCitaro buses operate for Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH. The eCitaro has also competed with the Solaris Urbino 12 Electric for a 250 electric bus tender issued by ATM Milano, a contract ultimately awarded to Solaris. Hanover is set to see 48 Mercedes eCitaros in operation.
Aside from numerous units delivered in the domestic market, the eCitaro secured a major contract for 92 units in France for the STAR network in Rennes. A similarly significant order was received in 2023 from the Netherlands, with HTM in The Hague set to deploy 95 Mercedes-Benz eCitaro buses along with the necessary charging infrastructure. That same year, Daimler Buses celebrated the production of its 1,000th eCitaro unit. In the future, this model will also be manufactured in France, while Mannheim remains the group’s electromobility hub. Additionally, 70 units of the articulated version have been ordered for Brussels, and in Vienna, the eCitaro will expand its presence in regional services.
Nonetheless, Hamburg continues to be a focal point for eCitaro deployment. In March 2023, the largest electric bus tender in the company’s history was awarded, with Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein GmbH (VHH) granting framework agreements for 100 and 250 e-buses to MAN Truck & Bus and Daimler Buses, respectively.
In the United States, the adoption of electric buses saw an increase of 83% in 2017. According to Eb Start Consulting, the number of electric buses delivered to public transit agencies in the U.S. rose by 83 percent (from 182 electric buses in operation at the beginning of 2017 to 383 by the following year). Although the market penetration is still low at approximately 0.5% of the entire U.S. public transit bus market, 9% of transit agencies had either electric buses in operation or on order by the end of 2017. The leading companies in this sector are Proterra and BYD, both of which have recently expanded their manufacturing capabilities threefold to meet increasing demand. New Flyer ranks third.
Changes are underway in the U.S. In 2018, Foothill Transit, which operates just outside of Los Angeles, ordered its first electric double-decker bus (also the first double-decker of any kind). This represents a dual debut on the roads of the California city. The buses will be produced by Alexander Dennis, a known leader in the field, utilizing Proterra’s battery technology and drivetrain system, and are set to begin service in 2019.
IndyGo, Indiana’s largest public transport provider, in partnership with BYD, announced the delivery of the first K11 60-foot (18 meters) battery electric bus for Indianapolis. This bus is the first of thirteen planned for the Red Line by IndyGo (which has also reportedly ordered 18 electric buses for the forthcoming Purple Line).
Is an electric bus a sustainable option in the U.S.? Yes! Electric buses throughout the United States generate fewer global warming emissions than their diesel or natural gas counterparts, even in cities where the power grid relies on coal and natural gas plants, based on an analysis published in 2018 by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The research indicated that, on average, an electric bus emits less than half of the global warming pollution produced by a diesel or natural gas bus. If a diesel bus achieved 12 miles per gallon instead of 4.8, it would be as environmentally friendly as an electric bus, according to the UCS study.
Proterra and Daimler are focusing on the electrification of the North American school bus sector, together. During the IAA Hannover 2018, Proterra revealed that it had completed a $155 million investment round, co-led by Daimler, the largest commercial vehicle manufacturer worldwide. Tao Capital Partners co-led the round alongside G2VP and other tech investors. Proterra and Daimler formed an agreement to investigate the electrification of selected Daimler heavy-duty vehicles.
In late October, during the 44th Annual National Association of Pupil Transportation (NAPT) Conference, Proterra officially announced the launch of the first electric school bus developed in collaboration with Thomas Built Buses (a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America).
In early 2020, Thomas Built Buses and Proterra celebrated the first significant order for their jointly created electric school bus known as Jouley.
Will Tesla manufacture an electric bus? No, thank you. By the end of 2019, electric buses globally are estimated to decrease diesel demand by 270,000 barrels, exceeding the displacement from all electric passenger vehicles in the world (a market in which Tesla holds about a 12 percent share). A 2019 report from Bloomberg New Energy highlighted that the early phase of the transition to electric vehicles is primarily driven by buses.
In recent years, there has been speculation regarding Tesla’s potential to start producing electric buses or collaborate with other companies in the zero-emission bus sector. We at Sustainable Bus have attempted to summarize the history and evolution of Tesla’s relationship with electric buses.
