Volánbusz seeks to acquire 20 new electric buses with grant support

Volánbusz has reissued its tender for the procurement of 15 city-class, fully low-floor solo electric buses, with an option for an additional 5. The new vehicles would be acquired under the ongoing Green Bus Program, with the purchase intended to be financed by a grant covering 100% of the costs.

A budget of 4.5 billion forints has been allocated for the acquisition under the Green Bus Program; the grant covers 100% of the eligible costs for purchasing the electric buses and 80% of the eligible costs for the necessary charging infrastructure. If Volánbusz’s grant application is approved, 3 city electric buses could be deployed in Balatonfüred, 1 in Hajdúszoboszló, 2 in Komárom, 6 in Komló, 5 in Tata, and 3 in Várpalota. The energy supply for the buses would be provided by high-performance charging stations installed by Mobiliti Volánbusz Kft., a joint venture between MVM Mobiliti Kft. and Volánbusz, located at the municipalities’ technical sites or stations.

The conditional procurement, dependent on the positive evaluation of the grant application, was announced on April 11, 2024. Volánbusz plans to sign the contract by the summer of 2024, provided the necessary funds are available.

The tender specifies that the proposed M3/I class, two-axle electric bus models must feature a low-floor design, with lengths ranging from 11,500 to 12,700 mm, and the maximum permissible gross weight must not exceed the European standard of 19.5 tons for two-axle buses. The electric drive motor must provide a minimum continuous power output of at least 10 kW per ton based on the maximum rolling gross weight. Additional requirements include a range of at least 300 kilometers, a passenger area accessible to wheelchair users, and equipment beyond basic heating and cooling systems, such as camera and passenger counting systems. Only brand-new buses from the same manufacturer and of the same type will be accepted.

The winning bidder must provide a comprehensive warranty of at least 36 months with no mileage limitation for the offered buses and must undertake mandatory repairs and maintenance during the warranty period. A minimum warranty period of 72 months is required for the battery system. The evaluation of proposals will be based on price with a weight of 80 and delivery schedule with a weight of 20.

Volánbusz currently operates a fleet of 102 purely electric buses, 100 of which were acquired under the Green Bus Program coordinated by HUMDA Hungarian Mobility Development Agency. These vehicles are partly in use in the Budapest metropolitan area and in local transport in Székesfehérvár, Zalaegerszeg, Győr, Eger, Szolnok, and Szeged. By replacing previous diesel buses, the company estimates an annual reduction of approximately 5,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions in the affected areas, equivalent to the annual emissions of 2,000 passenger cars. With the acquisition and deployment of the additional 20 electric buses, Volánbusz expects to further reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1,000 tons.

Cover photo: Garamvölgyi Gergő