As part of the current call for funding under the guideline for promoting alternative drive systems for buses in passenger transport, 151 companies will receive a total of 417 million euros. Funding support will be provided for the procurement of 1,887 new electric buses.
Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder: “Electric buses are a key element in climate-friendly local public transport. With our funding, transport companies are investing in clean, quiet and innovative technologies. More than 2,200 electric buses funded by us are already in use. This has resulted in a total saving of more than 130,000 tonnes of CO₂ compared to diesel buses. Another 1,900 or so electric buses are now being added to that number. This shows that the transition is working – and bringing benefits for passengers and residents as well as for the environment. We have invested a total of around €1.5 billion in supporting this transformation since 2021.”
Lists of the transport companies receiving funding are available at the following links:
In total, the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) has supported 334 different companies in 400 projects across six funding calls under the existing funding guideline – both in vehicle procurement and in the preparation of feasibility studies. That amounts to around 5,300 vehicles, including charging, refuelling and maintenance infrastructure, and almost 100 studies that have been conducted.
New funding guideline planned for spring
Federal Transport Minister Schnieder also announced at the conference: “We aim to publish a new funding guideline in the spring and launch another call for funding. We are providing up to €500 million for this for 2026.”
Since 2021, the BMV has been supporting the market ramp-up of climate-friendly buses through the “Guideline for the Promotion of Alternative Drive Systems for Passenger Buses” (Richtlinie zur Förderung alternativer Antriebe von Bussen im Personenverkehr). Battery-electric buses and buses with fuel cell technology are particularly eligible for funding; vehicles powered by biomethane were also eligible in earlier funding phases. In addition to vehicle procurement, the necessary charging and refuelling infrastructure and feasibility studies are also being funded. Part of the funds are co-financed by the European Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) as part of the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP – Deutscher Aufbau- und Resilienzplan).
Further information on the BMV’s bus funding support schemes can be found here:
- PtJ: Funding support for buses with alternative drive systems
- NOW GmbH: Funding support for buses with alternative drive systems
- www.ebustool.de
Image: Copyright Frank Schroth Fotografie
About the BUSKON 2026 conference
BMV is hosting the ‘Climate-friendly buses’ conference in Berlin for the second time with the support of the federally owned NOW GmbH. More than 300 representatives from transport companies, industry, science and associations are attending the two-day event. The focus is on current developments in battery-electric and fuel cell-based buses and strategies for their economic and operational integration. Specialist presentations, practical reports and discussion formats highlight opportunities, challenges and best practice examples. The conference documentation will be published afterwards at the following link: www.now-gmbh.de/en/knowledgefinder
