Half of New EU City Buses Were Zero-Emission in 2024

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Final Up to date on: third March 2025, 11:47 pm

Zero-emission gross sales to succeed in 100% by 2027 if development charge continues

Practically half (49%) of all new EU metropolis buses had been zero-emission (ZE) in 2024, making metropolis buses one of many early success tales of the European Inexperienced Deal. Gross sales exceeded T&E’s projection made final yr, regardless of it assuming exponential development. That is as a result of faster-than-expected uptake in gas cell buses, making up 3% of latest EU metropolis buses in 2024. Battery-electric nonetheless stays by far the dominant powertrain, with a 46% share.

This success is each as a consequence of new European regulation final yr sending a transparent market sign that the times of diesel buses are numbered, but additionally because of city-level insurance policies corresponding to zero-emission zones and fleet targets. Consequently, town bus market is shifting a lot quicker to zero-emission than what’s required underneath the EU’s Clear Car Directive and the CO₂ requirements for vehicles and buses. At this development charge, metropolis buses are on observe to succeed in absolutely ZE gross sales by 2027. For metropolis residents, meaning quieter streets and cleaner air.

This fast growth on the European stage masks some regional variations. Whereas most nations are powering forward of present and upcoming targets, a handful of nations path behind, exhibiting how vital country-level targets stay. New public procurement standards can promote the uptake of made-in Europe ZE metropolis buses. Tenders ought to concentrate on battery-electric and gas cell buses, away from gasoline and hybrid applied sciences; and on automobiles produced in Europe, to make sure that public cash is spent supporting European jobs and manufacturing.

Who leads?

The European market is led by the Netherlands, Finland and Iceland, with 100% battery-electric metropolis bus gross sales in 2024. Spain leads amongst main markets (i.e. markets with over 1,000 new metropolis bus gross sales yearly), reaching a 57% ZE share and overtaking the UK which ranks a really shut second at 56%. Italy ranks third with a 44% ZE share, however underneath the EU27 common of 49%. France and Germany come 4th and fifth place with one-third of ZE metropolis buses.

Notables adjustments in 2024

The story of Estonia affords a glimpse of what’s attainable. Final yr, Estonia got here in final in our rating, having registered no ZE metropolis buses in 2023 (or in earlier years). Nonetheless, we hoped the nation would quickly begin to catch up, as Tallinn had obtained the primary electrical buses within the nation in April 2024. That hope materialised: 84% of latest Estonian metropolis buses had been battery-electric in 2024.

Gasoline cell hydrogen metropolis buses are beginning to make some headway, doubling their 2023 market share to shut to three% in 2024. Apparently, their uptake in 2024 was primarily confined to main markets whereas gas cell buses had made some strides in smaller markets in previous years. Within the Netherlands, gas cell hydrogen had accounted for 20% of latest metropolis buses in 2021, however their share dwindled to 13% in 2022, 5% in 2023, and now 0% in 2024.

Opposite to ZE powertrains, gross sales shares of different various powertrains have remained secure at comparatively low factors. Hybrid metropolis buses, often round a fifth of latest EU gross sales, made up solely 16% of latest gross sales in 2024. Equally, the share of gasoline metropolis buses stagnated at its traditionally low stage of 14%.

Total rating since 2021

The town bus market is comparatively small, with only some tons of or hundreds of automobiles offered every year in a given European nation. Rating nations primarily based on cumulative shares since 2021 helps examine how they carry out total, although it hides how nations evolve over time.

The Netherlands clearly lead the transition: lower than 1% of latest metropolis buses have been diesel since 2021. Shut behind are Nordic nations in addition to a couple of East and South European nations. Since 2021, roughly two-thirds of latest metropolis buses have been battery-electric in Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece.

Six nations have been markedly slower to shift to ZE metropolis buses than the remainder of Europe: Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia, and Croatia. All besides Hungary had been already recognized as lagging behind in a 2022 blog.

Nonetheless, most present (generally timid) indicators of enchancment lately. If, as we predict, 2025 marks the turning level the place greater than half of latest metropolis buses are zero-emission, we should always see the transition speed up accordingly in trailing nations.

First printed on T&E. By Max Molliere, Emobility Knowledge Analyst.