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Germany: 1.25 billion EURO public funding available to promote electric buses

© UTM / Hess AG / Christian Marquordt

The European Commission has approved the promotion of alternative drive options in passenger transport under state aid law. The German Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructur (BMVI)  is in the lead of the new financing model for to promote the technology-neutral “Directive on the promotion of alternative propulsion systems for buses in passenger transport”.

Funding is available for battery, fuel cell and battery trolley buses as well as biomethane-powered buses of the vehicle classes M2 and M3, and the necessary infrastructure and feasibility studies.

The directive is aimed specifically at transport companies. According to current financial planning, a total of 1.25 billion euros is available for technology-neutral funding until 2024, supplemented by additional funds for 2025.

In detail, eligible for funding are procurement and conversion of buses with alternative drives as well as the procurement of the infrastructure necessary for operation with:

  • 80% of the additional investment costs to the diesel reference for battery, fuel cell & battery trolleybuses
  • 40% of the additional investment costs for the diesel reference for bio-gas buses,
  • 40% of the full investment costs for the infrastructure required for operation, non-public infrastructure

In addition, feasibility studies are also eligible.

Trolleybuses are included in the programme – Solaris Trollino 18 battery trolleybus Solingen | © Franz Grantl
Charging infrastructure is eligible for funding, too | © UTM/b

Submission of outlines and applications via the „easy-Online“ system will be possible from 15 September 2021. The preparation of the necessary documents can begin immediately. Outlines and applications can be submitted until 5 October 2021 (for investment projects) or until 30 November 2021 (for feasibility studies).

The directive also continues the BMVI’s previous funding opportunities in the field of battery-electric local public transport via the Electromobility Directive. Thus, research projects for electromobile applications can still be funded. A call for funding is currently open for this until 30 September 2021. The results of the research work carried out so far on these projects and the programme support will be presented to the general public on 23 September 2021 as part of the online conference “Alternative drives for climate-friendly local public transport”.

Detailed information and application documents on the websites of Project Management Jülich (PtJ): www.ptj.de/busfoerderung

(Information: NOW GmbH)

© UTM/b
10.09.2021
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