Austria: Niggbus puts five electric buses into service

Private transport company Niggbus from Austria will add ten electric buses to its fleet by the end of 2025 and then gradually convert all of its vehicles to electric drive. The first electric quintet has now arrived. The necessary charging infrastructure comes from Kempower.

niggbus e busse electric buses ecitaro austria kempower ladestationen e busse oesterreich 2024 1400x933 — Image: Kempower

The first fully electric bus has been in operation at Niggbus since September, with four more electric buses joining the fleet recently. Based on the press photo, these are Mercedes-Benz eCitaros. Niggbus is active in the greater Feldkirch area in Austria and operates 28 vehicles in urban and interurban transport there. By the end of 2025, a total of ten electric buses will be in service. All other buses will be replaced by electric vehicles in the future. On average, Niggbus hopes to replace three vehicles per year after 2025.

The private bus operator relies on charging infrastructure from Kempower on its premises, specifically ten charging points that each offer 160 kW of power. An on-site transformer converts the medium voltage (22,000 volts) into the required 800 volts, while two Kempower Powerunits with a total output of 800 kW act in parallel as rectifiers. Kempower’s partner, vlotte vkw GmbH, a spin-off and subsidiary of illwerke vkw, was responsible for planning and realising the system.

According to Kempower, the electric buses can be charged in a maximum of three hours. “The integration of Kempower technology enables us to precisely control the charging processes and ensure that our fleet is always ready for use,” says Niggbus Managing Director Gerhard Pertoll. “With a range of 300 kilometres per charge, the bus is ideal for urban and regional transport. Every new investment reinforces our commitment to environmentally friendly, sustainable local transport.” According to Niggbus, it will invest a total of 7.5 million euros into the electrification of its fleet and the expansion of its premises by 3,000 square metres.

Niggbus GmbH operates Stadtbus Feldkirch and is a partner of Landbus Oberes Rheintal, Landbus Walgau and Verkehrsverbund Vorarlberg. According to its own figures, the company transports over nine million passengers a year, covering more than 1.5 million kilometres. Founded in 1925, the Rankweiler family business currently employs around 80 people. In addition to the five electric buses, the current bus fleet includes eleven units with hybrid drive – the rest are purely diesel buses.

kempower.com, niggbus.at (in German)