Bucharest secured EUR 87.44 million in non-repayable funding from the Modernisation Fund to purchase new electric public transport vehicles, mayor Ciprian Ciucu announced. The European Investment Bank confirmed the project as a priority investment for the Romanian capital, while the City Hall will be required to cover only the value-added tax.<\/p>\n
The funding will finance ten new trams, 45 trolleybuses, and 40 electric buses. The bus order will comprise 20 vehicles measuring 12 metres and another 20 measuring 10 metres.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is another major and important step towards more modern and cleaner public transport for our city,\u201d Ciprian Ciucu said.<\/p>\n
The new trams will replace V3A and modernised V3A vehicles, while the trolleybuses will replace aging Astra Ikarus models. Meanwhile, the electric buses will take the place of Mercedes-Benz Citaro Euro 3 diesel buses currently used by Bucharest public transport operator STB.<\/p>\n
The project is intended to modernise the STB fleet and reduce transport-related pollution.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the electric buses, the next essential step is to secure the charging infrastructure so that the new vehicles can be operated efficiently from their first day,\u201d the mayor said.<\/p>\n
However, he did not announce a procurement timetable or expected delivery dates for the vehicles.<\/p>\n