Overview

• Hamburger Hochbahn and VHH now operate almost 640 battery-powered buses, making Hamburg Germany’s leading city in public transport electrification.
• Federal funding for new electric bus purchases expires this summer, raising concerns over the affordability of further fleet conversions.
• A PWC report finds that electric buses cost two and a half times more than their diesel counterparts, intensifying pressure on public transport budgets.
• Hamburger Hochbahn has a contract with Daimler Buses for up to 350 additional electric vehicles over five years, but its rollout hinges on new subsidy agreements.
• All battery-operated buses still rely on heating oil for winter heaters, meaning their emissions footprint remains partially dependent on fossil fuels.