Federal Minister of Transport Hands Over Funding Notices to Transport Companies from All Over Germany
German Federal Transport Minister Dr. Volker Wissing hands over funding decisions totaling around 600 million euros for the procurement of climate-friendly buses. Around 1,700 buses will be procured by the transport companies with the new “Guideline for the Promotion of Alternative Drives in Buses in Passenger Transport,” including around 1,400 battery, 150 fuel cell, 50 trolley, and 100 gas buses. The associated maintenance and charging infrastructure is also funded.
Wissing:
“Especially in cities where there are many buses, alternative drives can make an enormous contribution to reducing CO2 emissions, pollutant emissions and noise — and thus improve the quality of life. Therefore, we specifically support the switch from diesel buses to alternative drives. In the future, 1,700 climate-friendly, quiet, state-of-the-art buses will be on the road throughout Germany — and will be proof in motion that modern mobility is a benefit for citizens, the climate and the economy. Our goal is for 50 percent of city buses to be using alternative, climate-friendly drives by 2030. I am pleased that the transport companies are tackling this major challenge with us.”
The following eight transport companies and companies received funding notifications today (incl. target figures for vehicles):
- KVG Kieler Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH: 50 battery buses
- Stadtwerke München GmbH: 71 battery buses
- Transdev GmbH Berlin: 325 battery buses, 40 fuel cell buses, 110 biomethane buses
- Bremer Strassenbahn Aktiengesellschaft: 50 battery buses
- City of Esslingen am Neckar: 51 battery trolleybuses
- AeroGround Flughafen München GmbH: 72 battery buses
- Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG): 350 battery buses
- Regionalverkehr Köln GmbH: 108 fuel cell buses
A week earlier, notices had already been given to the transport companies Hamburger Hochbahn AG and Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein GmbH (VHH) in Hamburg.
The current notifications form the start of the processing of the first call from last year. Other applications are currently being processed. The second call for funding is currently being planned and will be published in the second quarter of 2022.
More about the “Guideline for the promotion of alternative drive systems for buses”
Since 2021, the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) has been promoting the conversion of bus fleets to climate-friendly drives as part of the “Guideline for the Promotion of Alternative Drives in Passenger Transport.” Funds of around 1.25 billion euros are available for this until 2024, with additional funds planned for 2025.
The funding program is open to all technologies in order to provide the right technology option for every application. The focus is on switching to battery-electric and fuel cell-based buses. The federal government covers up to 80 percent of the additional costs that arise compared to conventional vehicles — and the development of the necessary infrastructure is also part of the funding. Feasibility studies that determine how the conversion to alternative drives can be achieved at the respective location are also eligible for funding.
Further information on the promotion of alternative drives for buses in passenger transport can be accessed via the following links:
- Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport
- Program company NOW GmbH
- Project Management Jülich I Research Center Jülich GmbH
Featured image and press release courtesy of Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.
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