The funding scheme for the procurement of buses and trains with climate-friendly drive systems is currently experiencing very high demand. This year alone, more than 300 outlines and applications have been received in the last three calls for funding. It is becoming increasingly clear that the demand for vehicles powered by fuel cells, batteries or overhead lines will continue to grow.
The latest BMVI funding calls for buses and trains with alternative drives as well as for research projects in the field of electric mobility have been in very strong demand by the relevant stakeholders in the sectors being addressed. “Through the procurement funding, an increased demand for vehicles with alternative drives and the associated energy supply infrastructure is expected for buses and trains in the coming years,” says Oliver Hoch, Electric Mobility Team Leader at NOW GmbH, which coordinates the funding programmes on behalf of the BMVI. Below we take stock of the current situation:
Buses
The guideline for funding buses with alternative drives in passenger transport was published by the BMVI on 7 September 2021 and runs until the end of 2025. The first funding call for the procurement of battery, fuel cell and biomethane buses ended on 5 October 2021. A total of 216 project outlines were received by the Project Management Organisation Jülich (PtJ). The majority of the proposals focused on the procurement of battery-electric buses and the necessary infrastructure. In total, the requested funding amounts to more than 1.7 billion euros and thus exceeds the funds available for the funding guideline. Due to the oversubscription of the call for funding, the submitted outlines will therefore be prioritised according to the criteria defined in the funding call. The applicants will be contacted shortly by the Project Management Organisation Jülich (PtJ) according to the prioritisation and will be informed about the further procedure. A further call for funding is scheduled for 2022.
On 30 November 2021, the call for funding for feasibility studies in public transport ended with over 60 applications received.
Further information is available at: www.now-gmbh.de/en/funding/funding-programmes/buses-with-alternative-drives
Trains
A relevant guideline was published in February 2021 to support the expansion of alternative drive systems in rail transport. In the first funding call, a total of 53 applications were received by the submission deadline of 31 August 2021, including 40 procurement applications with a requested funding volume of 244 million euros and 13 applications for studies, which are applying for 1 million euros in funding. The submitted applications are currently being reviewed by the Programme Management Organisation Jülich (PtJ).
Further information can be found at: www.now-gmbh.de/en/funding/funding-programmes/alternative-drives-in-rail-transport
Electric mobility
On 10 August 2021, a further and thus 7th funding call for research and development projects within the framework of the Electric Mobility funding guideline was published. The demand for research funding remains high: By the deadline at the end of September, 67 project outlines had been received, applying for a total of 110 million euros in funding. The content of the submissions is currently being evaluated.
Further information can be found at: www.now-gmbh.de/en/funding/funding-programmes/electric-mobility