Europe’s city bus operators are rapidly electrifying their fleets, data shows

Battery-electric models accounted for 36% of new city bus sales in 2023 in the EU, overtaking diesel as the drivetrain of choice, according to an analysis by the European Federation for Transport and Environment.

On the current trajectory, 100% of new city buses will be emissions-free by 2027, Transport & Environment analyst Max Molliere said in a note. This puts the EU well ahead of its recently adopted emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles, which require 90% of new city buses to be zero-carbon by 2030, and 100% by 2035.

In five EU member states — Slovenia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Finland — zero-emission models already account for more than 90% of new city bus sales.

Among major markets, the UK ranked highest, with zero-emission models accounting for 63% of new sales in 2023. France ranked last among the large markets, with a 23% share.

At least eight cities plan to have 100% zero-emission bus fleets by 2025, and an additional 19 by 2030, according to Molliere, who urged Europe’s bus-makers to anticipate soaring demand to avoid losing out to foreign competitors.