Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH), one of the largest local transport companies in northern Germany, has placed a groundbreaking order for up to 350 new electric buses. The move is part of the company’s goal to convert its entire public transport fleet to zero-emission vehicles by the 2030s.
The tender for the new electric buses was won by two major bus manufacturers, MAN Truck & Bus and Daimler Buses. This is the largest electric bus tender in the history of VHH, and the order comes after news that the conversion of Hamburg’s bus fleets to electric vehicles is progressing more slowly than planned.
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The VHH currently operates a fleet of almost 700 vehicles, of which 86 are electric buses. The company plans to significantly expand its electric bus fleet, which will quadruple with the delivery of the 350 new vehicles. VHH operates 170 routes in the Hamburg metropolitan region and its vehicles cover around 34 million kilometers every year, carrying approximately 62 million passengers.
The new electric buses will be supplied under a framework agreement between VHH and the two bus manufacturers. According to the agreement, VHH will order up to 100 Lion’s City 12 E buses from MAN and up to 250 Mercedes-Benz eCitaro vehicles from Daimler Buses. The delivery of the first batch of buses is expected in the first half of this year, with fixed orders already placed for 48 solo buses from MAN and 47 solo and 48 articulated buses from Daimler Buses.
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The eCitaro buses ordered by VHH will have three doors as solo buses and four doors as articulated buses. Daimler Buses has equipped the vehicles with improved battery technology, featuring NMC3 batteries with energy capacity of 490 kWh for the solo bus and 588 kWh for the articulated bus, ensuring a practical range without intermediate charging. The charging sockets for the eCitaros are located on both the left and right sides of the buses at the height of the front wheel arches. The buses will be charged purely at the VHH depot.
The Lion’s City 12 E buses ordered by VHH from MAN will feature a total of six battery packs with an energy content of 480 kWh. The buses will have a CO2 air conditioning system that uses climate-neutral carbon dioxide (R744) instead of the conventional refrigerant R134a. MAN’s electric buses also come equipped with a range of safety features, including brake and turn assistants, USB charging sockets, and more.
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Dr. Lorenz Kasch, Managing Director of VHH, said: “We have a clear vision in mind: in the 2030s, we want to be locally emission-free on the road in the Hamburg metropolitan region. Innovative vehicles are an important building block in this process. We are working very intensively with all the manufacturers who supply us. Topics such as availability and range have gained momentum. We are looking forward to continuing on this path together.”
VHH’s order for up to 350 new electric buses marks a significant step forward in the company’s commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly transport. With more than 2,300 employees and around 670 buses at 17 locations, the company is leading the way in the transition to zero-emission public transport in northern Germany.
