There are currently a further 56 electric buses, including the associated network and charging infrastructure at the depots in Leverkusen and Bergisch Gladbach, that are being put into operation. From August, around a third of the Wupsi bus fleet will be electrically-powered.
Patrick Schnieder, Federal Minister for Transport: “Through funding climate-friendly drives in public transport, we are provided targeted impetus for sustainable mobility that is fit for the future. Wupsi GmbH is forging ahead in this regard: With its 56 new battery and fuel cell buses, almost a third of the fleet will become emission-free. The Federal Ministry of Transport is supporting this transition in the amount of 16.8 million euros.”
Oliver Krischer, Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport for the State of North-Rhine Westphalia: “E-buses are an important building block for the transport transition. To achieve our climate protection goals, the state is supporting transport companies in expanding electric mobility. The state is making more than 45 million euros available to Wupsi for the procurement of ten electric buses, the development of charging and refuelling infrastructure as well as the appropriate workshop equipment.”
Marc Kretkowski, Managing Director of Wupsi GmbH: “Electric engines convert approx. 80 per cent of energy into movement and, given losses while charging and the provision of electricity to chargers, achieve an efficiency level of 64 per cent. By comparison, a diesel engine only achieves 20 per cent.”
The new procurement of 56 buses with alternative drives is funded under the ‘Guideline for the promotion of alternative drives for buses in passenger transport’ with a total of 16.8 million euros by the Federal Ministry for Transport (BMV). Funding for this measure is also provided under the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP) via the European Recovery and Resilience Facilities (ARF) in the NextGenerationEU program. The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ).
Source: www.wupsi.de
