Five new electric buses have recently been launched into service for the DB Regio Bus subsidiary Autokraft in the district of Stormarn in Schleswig-Holstein. In addition, a local taxi company was commissioned to provide a new minibus as a private-hire cab (Anrufsammeltaxi – AST) in the northern district.
Around ten per cent of the fleet of DB Regio Bus Nord is now emission-free; the switch from diesel to alternative drives reduces costs in the longer term and protects the climate. The expansion of Autokraft’s resource-saving bus fleet was supported through two funding packages from the Federal Ministry for Transport (BMV) with a total of around 16.5 million euros. Thanks to this BMV funding, not only could Autokraft procure a total of 40 electric and two hydrogen buses, but they could also expand charging infrastructure and workshops. Furthermore, twelve additional hydrogen buses from another DB Regio Nord bus company were ordered. All projects were implemented in close cooperation with the public transport authorities of the districts and the municipalities.
Evelyn Palla, DB Group Board Member for Regional Transport: “With our electric and hydrogen buses, we are making the mobility transition a reality. Every kilometre that these buses cover is another step towards cleaner air, quieter mobility and better quality of life for local people. Around ten per cent of our buses in the North are now emission-free. We want to phase out the last diesel bus by 2040. We will only achieve this with strong partnerships, which is why I want to specifically thank the BMV and the Stormarn district for joining forces to fight for the transport transition and the protection of our environment.”
Patrick Schnieder, Federal Minister for Transport: “Climate protection can only succeed with efficient and low-emission public transport. That’s why the federal government is supporting transport companies in switching to environmentally-friendly drives. As the largest provider of German bus transport, DB Regio Bus is setting a good example. I am delighted that about 200 new e-buses are coming onto our roads nationwide through our funding – an important step for an even more climate-friendly public transport for all.”
Susanne Henckel, State Secretary in the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Transport, Labour, Technology and Tourism for the state of Schleswig-Holstein: “The districts are an important part of public mobility. With the aid of contracted bus companies, they make our state’s territory more accessible – right into to remote villages. The fact that this is now being achieved in a more climate-friendly and convenient way presents another incentive for switching to public transport.”
DB Regio Bus has received BMV funding totalling around 59 million euros nationwide from the ‘Guideline for the promotion of alternative drive systems of buses in passenger transport’. Funding of this measure was also made available under the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP) via the European Recovery and Resilience Facility (ARF) in the NextGenerationEU program. From 2022 until mid-2025, around 200 new, emission-free vehicles can be procured by DB Regio Bus through this support. The guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ).
Detailed information on climate-friendly public transport at Autokraft: www.dbregiobus-nord.de/aktuell/mobilitaetswende
Image: E-buses for the Stormarn district: District Administrator Dr. Henning Görtz (l-r), Daniel Marx (DB Regio Bus Nord), Susanne Henckel (State Secretary in the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Transport, Labour, Technology and Tourism for the state of Schleswig-Holstein) and Nikolaus Oberkandler (Head of Division in the Federal Transport Ministry).
Source: DB Regio Bus Nord
