Berlin’s public transport operator, BVG, has started construction on its first all-electric bus depot in Schöneweide, following delays that affected the project timeline. The new facility on Köpenicker Landstraße will enable the deployment of 200 additional electric buses, with operations expected to commence in 2027.
BVG plans to have at least 500 electric buses in service by that year as part of its broader decarbonization strategy. The company has described the depot as “an important step towards greater stability and the decarbonisation of the bus fleet,” marking the first new bus depot built in Berlin in nearly 60 years.
Expanded Infrastructure to Support E-Bus Deployment
The 44,000-square-meter site will feature a workshop, a service hall, an administration building, and dedicated parking and charging facilities for the electric fleet. German construction firms Matthäi and Karl Weiss are responsible for the development, while Dress & Sommer is overseeing project management and construction supervision.
“This depot is a real milestone for our city, as it will enable us to put 200 additional electric buses into service,” said BVG CEO Henrik Falk. “This will not only make our service more stable, but will also make Berlin’s air a little cleaner again.”
Once completed, the Schöneweide depot will be part of BVG’s expanded network of eight bus depots, including a new facility planned for Marienfelde. While BVG has yet to provide further details on the depot’s charging infrastructure, it has confirmed that electric buses will be recharged at depots and at 36 terminal stops across the city.
Adjusted Electrification Targets
BVG initially set a goal to fully electrify its bus fleet by 2030, but the company has since adjusted its timeline, now referring to the transition occurring “in the 2030s.” In January, Falk projected that battery-electric buses would make up 80–90% of Berlin’s transport system by 2035, with the remaining portion potentially using HVO100, a renewable diesel fuel derived from waste and residual materials.
The shift in BVG’s electrification strategy aligns with similar adjustments in Hamburg, as public transport authorities across Germany refine their sustainability plans while navigating financial and operational challenges.