Going electric: a pathway to zero-emission buses

The Policy Paper ‘Going electric - A pathway to zero-emission buses’ is intended to facilitate policymaking and the development of electric bus schemes, and to assist project finance. It summarises emerging good practices across a range of important topics and geographies. E-buses are now being deployed rapidly across a wide range of cities, with mass production leading to reductions in unit costs and lower technological risk.

Schemes can now be developed that make a material contribution towards typical urban transport goals within realistic funding budgets. This report aims to show that e-buses have moved beyond the experimental and that sponsors have a range of technologies and financing options at their disposal.

It is aimed primarily at scheme promoters and sponsors, including:

• City region policymakers and politicians

• Transport authority officials

• Financing entities

• Cities and/or transport operators seeking development loan financing

The report contains:

• An overview of the state of emerging technologies

• Commentary on operational, engineering and economic considerations and risks

• An overview of pathways to scheme implementation

• Advice on project development

• Case studies and reference material

• Guidance on considerations in relation to the total cost of ownership

• Options for possible asset-financing structures

The policy paper has been prepared by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in partnership with the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and with the support of TIL Consultants.

This policy paper contributes to the MobiliseYourCity Partnership for sustainable urban mobility, to which the EBRD is a contributing partner.