Zero-emission public transport has moved decisively from aspiration to implementation across Europe. According to the State of the European Transport 2025 report by Transport Environment (T&E), almost half of all new city buses produced in 2024 were zero-emission vehicles. At this pace, 100% of city bus procurement will be zero emission before 2028.
Once confined to pilot projects and demonstration routes, electric buses are now becoming a central element of urban mobility strategies. This shift is driven by a combination of EU legislation, climate commitments and local air-quality priorities, but also by growing confidence that zero-emission buses can operate reliably at scale.
However, the road to implementation remains complex. Electrifying bus fleets affects the infrastructure, but it is also about procurement models and governance structures at its essence. Cities are discovering that success depends as much on long-term planning and institutional capacity as on technology itself.
Electric buses taking over in Utrecht
During the Eurocities Mobility Forum 2026, several European cities, local and regional transport authorities and operators shared their experiences, showcasing their long-term commitment to more sustainable ways of commuting.
For instance, Utrecht’s journey towards zero-emission public transport has been shaped by long-term planning and incremental learning. The Province of Utrecht began experimenting with electric buses more than a decade ago, initially through small-scale trials on selected routes. These early projects allowed the region to test different vehicle types and charging solutions, while building operational knowledge before committing to larger investments.
Today, public transport in the province serves around 200,000 daily users across 26 municipalities, under two long-term concessions covering inner and outer Utrecht. Every new concession cycle (typically lasting ten years) has been used as a lever for change, where each new contract requirements for zero-emission buses have increased. This enables a gradual, but steady, shift away from diesel.
This approach is now reaching a new phase. Contracts starting in 2025-2026 will see more than 320 electric buses in operation, across a range of vehicle sizes and manufacturers. The goal of this expansion: to achieve a fully zero-emission bus system by 2028, covering both urban and regional routes.
Infrastructure planning has been central to this progress. Utrecht has invested in new electric bus depots and expanded existing ones, aligning charging infrastructure, grid connections and depot layouts with operational needs. Seasonal performance, grid congestion and charging logistics have all been factored into planning decisions.
The province has also taken an active coordinating role, setting policy objectives, monitoring performance and supporting preparatory studies on routes, vehicle types and total cost of ownership. In some cases, it has retained ownership of depots and electric buses, helping to spread investment risks beyond individual operating contracts and ensuring continuity across concession changes.
A sparkling strategy in Rome
Rome’s experience highlights how zero-emission buses are being introduced at scale in a very different urban context. Managing one of Europe’s largest and most complex public transport networks, the city has focused on large-scale fleet renewal supported by European and national funding.
Recent procurement programmes have resulted in contracts for hundreds of new electric buses, alongside major investments in depot electrification. Charging infrastructure has been rolled out across multiple sites, each requiring specific technical solutions and significant grid capacity. For a network of Rome’s size, electrification has therefore involved not only vehicle procurement, but substantial transformations of depots, workshops and operational practices.
Rome’s case also illustrates the challenges that come with rapid scale-up. Delivery delays linked to supply-chain constraints, the need to adapt existing depots and the introduction of new safety measures have required close coordination and flexibility. The city’s experience underlines that procurement is only the beginning: implementation capacity, regulatory compliance and infrastructure readiness are just as critical to success.
Double-deckers, multiple opportunities in London
London brought a different perspective to discussions, reflecting its role as an integrated transport authority operating at metropolitan scale. Transport for London oversees bus services across a city of around nine million people, under a governance model led by a directly elected mayor.
Zero-emission buses are considered within a broader strategic framework, alongside questions of system integration, governance and long-term planning. This exploratory approach reflects both the scale of London’s bus network and the need to align decarbonisation with wider transport objectives, while managing risk in a complex operating environment.
Public procurement as a strategic lever
Electric buses typically involve higher upfront costs than diesel vehicles, but offer lower energy and operating costs over their lifetime. Contract length, risk allocation and financing models therefore play a crucial role in making investments viable.
Bus depots require high-capacity grid connections, often with long lead times, while opportunity charging at route termini can involve complex permitting processes. Cities that align procurement timelines with infrastructure development are better placed to avoid delays once services begin.
Capacity within public authorities also matters. Designing and managing zero-emission bus tenders requires technical, financial and legal expertise, as well as an understanding of rapidly evolving markets. Building dedicated teams and drawing on shared guidance can help authorities strike a balance between ambition and deliverability.
Working together through Big Buyers
Alongside city-level action, cooperation among public buyers is playing an increasingly important role in the transition to zero-emission buses. The Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) project supports this by strengthening collaboration between major procurers facing similar challenges.
Through its Community of Practice on zero-emission buses, BBWT brings together essential guidance in a shared online repository, covering legislation, national frameworks, project outputs and market insights. Designed as a living resource, it continues to grow as new contributions are added.
BBWT also helps cities align expectations when procuring zero-emission buses, sending clearer signals to the market while recognising the limits of buyer leverage. Electrification depends on global supply chains that Europe does not fully control, with risks linked to delivery times and sourcing constraints. Addressing these issues collectively allows buyers to refine requirements and engage with manufacturers from a more informed position.
By learning from each other and acting together where it makes sense, European cities can strengthen their role as informed public buyers and push the accelerator for sustainable solutions for millions of commuters.
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These city initiatives were highlighted at the Eurocities Mobility Forum 2026 in Rome on 18-20 March. The forum focused on how heritage-rich cities can design sustainable, integrated mobility systems that manage growing pressures, such as tourism, peak demand and rail expansion, while preserving their cultural identity.
You can view forum photos here and other articles from the forum discussions:
– Urban mobility in the next EU Tourism Strategy: Learning from stress-tested cities
– Where rail starts and ends: cities, crucial to make long-distance travel more sustainable and competitive
