Tender aggravated – Wiesbaden still looking to electrify entire bus fleet

Wiesbaden, the capital of the state of Hesse reportedly wants to electrify its entire bus fleet of by 2022. The tender had been open since last August and the public transport provider (ESWE) had wanted to take a decision by now. However, the catalogue just got extended and tougher.

220 electric buses including charging infrastructure to be delivered by 2022 is no small order. Consequently, Wiesbadens’s public transport provider ESWE is cautious in its search. The initial tender that was published last August saw interest from bidders such as Solaris, VDL, BYD and Daimler allegedly but a decision has yet to be made.

Before opting for a provider though, ESWE has reopened the process, saying that more questions had surfaced that they need the bidders to address. ESWE’s managing director Frank Gäfgen called the updated tender an “aggravated catalogue” according to the Wiesbadener Tagblatt, and a first of its kind.

ESWE not only wants to procure 220 all-electric buses over the next 4 years but requires the winning company to also provide infrastructure. Not only charging equipment though but an entire depot management able to distribute buses to routes depending on their state-of-charge for example. EWSE also expects wide ranging battery warranties.

A final winner may now be called on by April. At least 40 percent of the purchase will be financially supported by the federal state of Hessen. More funding may come through the new German coalition government and its electric mobility measures that includes electric buses (we reported).

wiesbadener-tagblatt.de (in German)