Electric bus takeover in Prague – tender in the making

The capital of the Czech Republic is building on its good experience with electric buses and now wants to electrify entire routes. Therefore, Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) is preparing a tender for 15 electric buses to arrive by 2021.

An initial trial has been successful with documentation being worked on as you read. The test saw electric articulated buses running on Prague’s street, whilst dynamically charging at times on an overhead wire – a method Prague is familiar with due to its existing tram system.

As the electric buses made it through the harsh winter, Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) now wants to electrify the entire route 140 with completion set for 2021 latest. This expansion also requires more overhead wires to be installed. Currently, the contact line in Prosecká Street is about one kilometre long. The approved plan calls for the extension of the overhead line to several other sections of the 140 bus route.

The move has been welcomed by the city with Prague Mayor Adriana Krnáčová stating: “We have chosen the route of gradual electrification of bus transport, where we can use the synergy effects of already built-in power infrastructure for trams. In the future, a large part of backbone bus lines can be electrified this way, thereby greatly reducing the negative impacts of bus traffic on the environment and the city’s inhabitants.”

Prague has been ranked 5th in the world’s list of public transport in 2017 by the consultancy Arcadis that issues an annual sustainable cities index.

Furthermore, the DPP is also preparing for the electrification of another route, line 207 between Ohrada and Staroměstská. Here however, they will use dedicated recharging stations for the electric buses. Also route 140 will be bolstered up with additional charging stations for the articulated electric vehicles.

prague.tv, arcadis.com (sustainable cities index)