Berlin closes electric bus tender & prepares another

The first tender to electrify the Berlin bus fleet owned by the BVG with 30 electric buses has closed. The BVG is now checking the offers and will decide who will receive the bid. The next tender is also to be released shortly.

The process hit a few hurdles on the way, as initially not enough participants applied for the contract. After the BVG then extended the bidding period, they were apparently able to find enough participants after the deadline extension.

The procurement of the 12 m long buses including charging and maintenance infrastructure will begin this year, and the purchase of the first 18 m buses is scheduled for next year. The investment cost stands in the double-digit millions for each project.

BVG CEO Sigrid Nikutta is currently on an “Info Trip” to China, where the current efforts to electrify public and private transport are heavily underway. She also announced that the next bid for another 30 buses will begin this summer.

berlinerzeitung.de (German)