Volánbusz is eligible to apply for funding from the Hungarian Motorsport and Green Mobility Development Agency (HUMDA) for the acquisition of 20 new electric buses and the establishment of related charging infrastructure, and the invitation to tender for the procurement of vehicles has already been issued, the transport company announced on Thursday.
They detailed that HUMDA, a member of the Széchenyi University Group, enabled Volánbusz to submit a unique funding request under their Green Bus Program aimed at renewing public transportation and reducing emissions in local transportation in cities with fewer than 25,000 inhabitants by acquiring environmentally friendly, emission-free, electrically powered vehicles, and establishing related charging infrastructure. They explained that if the funding request is positively evaluated, Balatonfüred will receive three, Hajdúszoboszló one, Komárom two, Komló six, Tata five, and Várpalota three electrically powered, two-axle, solo, low-floor, local design buses that will soon be put into service.
The buses, which are also suitable for transporting wheelchair users, are equipped with three doors, heating and cooling systems, passenger information, camera, and passenger counting systems, and will have a range of at least 300 kilometres, they added in the statement. The fuel supply for the vehicles will be provided by high-performance charging equipment installed by Mobiliti Volánbusz Ltd, a joint venture between MVM Mobiliti Ltd and Volánbusz, at the technical site or bus station of the municipalities, Volánbusz informed.
According to the statement, the acquisition of the buses can be realized with 100 per cent support, and the establishment of the charging infrastructure with 80 per cent support, during the development worth more than 4.6 billion forints.
This Thursday, the conditional invitation to tender for the procurement of buses was published, depending on the positive evaluation of the funding application to be submitted.
The transportation company plans to conclude the contract by the summer of 2024,
provided that the necessary funds for the procurement are available, in order for the vehicles to be put into service as soon as possible, the statement reads.
They emphasized that if the project is implemented, Volánbusz can expand its electric fleet by 20 per cent. As part of the Green Bus Program coordinated by HUMDA, the company has so far put a total of 100 electric buses into service in the vicinity of the capital and in the local transportation of Székesfehérvár, Zalaegerszeg, Győr, Eger, Szolnok, and Szeged.
According to the statement, the Volánbusz fleet of electric buses–by replacing diesel vehicles–currently eliminates approximately 5,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the air of the aforementioned settlements annually, equivalent to half of the annual emissions of 2,000 passenger cars.
The introduction of another 20 e-buses will mean a further reduction of over 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and will provide more modern, comfortable, quieter, truly 21st-century-level service for the residents and passengers of the six cities, Volánbusz announced.
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