What countries are making the biggest efforts to roll out a 100% electric bus network? Government support for electrification keeps on growing at a rapid rate with ongoing environmental regulations.
10 Countries With An Electric Bus Network
The electric bus market is made up of major manufacturers including BYD, Yutong, VDL Group, AB Volvo and CAF. The demand for electric buses increases as environmental regulations become more tight. Let’s take a look at the 10 countries leading the way with emission-free buses.
10. France
The world’s first electric “bendy bus” went into operation in Nantes but it’s Paris leading the way in embracing electric buses in efforts to improve air quality and reduce noise pollution in France. There are plans in place for the city to replace its almost 5,000 buses with an electrified fleet by 2025.
9. United States
The United States is in its early stages of shifting its fleets over to electric buses. California is one of the leading states embracing the advantages of electric technology and all new transit buses are planned to be zero-emission by 2030.
Other states including Los Angeles, New York, Florida, Texas, Massachusetts and Arizona are also making moves but one of the biggest barriers will be transitioning away from the mostly diesel school buses in the country. The world’s first wireless charging concrete highway is also planned to be built in Indiana.
8. Norway
Norway has one of the highest uptakes of EVs per capita in the world and more than half of new car sales are electric. From 10 electric buses in the country in 2016 to more than 500 in 2021, Norway is building towards an emissions-free future. Norway’s capital Oslo is pioneering a greener future for Europe and pushing to become a completely emissions-free city in the near future.
7. Canada
Canada is fast becoming a major player in rolling out electric buses and the Canadian government announced funding for 350 electric buses for Canada’s capital Ottawa.
The city also has a strategy to eliminate greenhouse emissions in municipal operations by 2040. Other cities including Toronto, Regina and Saint John are embracing the technology and have begun to switch their fleets towards electric buses.
6. India
India is undergoing massive urbanisation and electric bus networks are being factored into the increasing demand for public transportation. Large cities like Bengaluru and Delhi are creating large bus networks driven by lucrative government incentives that began in the country in 2015.
If 4 of 10 new bus purchases in India are electric the country will be on track to become the second largest electric bus market in the world by 2030.
5. United Kingdom
London is leading the way in the United Kingdom for electric buses. All new buses ordered for the city are zero-emission with plans for the entire London bus network to be electric by 2034.
One of the UK’s largest bus operators First Bus has made large orders for an electric bus network in Portsmouth, York, Leeds, Norwich and Leicester and they have plans to have a completely emission-free bus network by 2035.
4. Germany
Germany has started making moves to integrate electric buses into its public transport system. Although electric buses only account for a small percentage of its city buses network, Germany has begun integrating emissions-free buses at a rapid rate. In 2017 there were a total of 14 new electric buses purchased. In 2022 that number had grown to 632.
True to their industrialist history, a German company has also started manufacturing magnetic cement, by recycling ferrite particles to be able to generate magnetic fields so that electric buses can charge without a plug.
3. Netherlands
The progressive Dutch can add electric buses to their list of icons that includes tulips and windmills. The Netherlands has been pioneering Europe’s electric bus uptake with 81% of bus sales in 2020 being electric, far ahead of the European average of 16%. From 2025 onward the Dutch plan on buying only emission-free buses, and also plan on making their entire fleet emission-free by 2030.
2. Chile
It may surprise some that Chile has one of the biggest uptakes of electric buses in the entire world. Santiago first introduced electric buses in late 2017 and outside of China has one of the biggest emissions-free bus networks. In early 2022 Chile’s capital city Santiago welcomed its 1000th electric bus, and the country has the aim of making its entire bus fleet electric by 2040.
1. China
Historically China has struggled with poor air pollution which is why they’ve been on the front foot with their electric bus networks. In 2019 China owned about 99% of the world’s almost 400,000 electric buses and are the undisputed world leaders of emissions-free buses.
Shenzhen also became the first city in the world to have a 100% electric bus network. China to their credit has minimized their dependence on fossil fuels and has reduced their carbon footprint helping to improve overall public health.