© dpa
The foundation stone for the new depot in Säntisstraße has been laid. BVG boss Henrik Falk (right) was joined by transport senator Ute Bonde (CDU) (2nd from right).
© dpa
By 2027, more than a third of the BVG bus fleet will be electric. (archive picture)
From the end of 2027, every third bus operated by Berlin's public transport company is to be electrically powered. Next year, the company expects 150 more electric articulated buses from the manufacturer Solaris, according to a spokesperson.
Another 120 electric buses are to be added in 2027. With a total of 550 vehicles, more than a third of the fleet of 1,500 buses would then be electric.
In order to operate the battery-powered buses, a different infrastructure is needed than before, especially with regard to the depots. In Säntisstraße in Marienfelde, BVG today laid the foundation stone for the first depot fully equipped for e-buses with the corresponding charging, workshop and administration technology. The site is due to be completed in 2027 and will then have space for 220 buses. According to BVG, it is the first new depot in more than 60 years. Further e-bus depots are planned for Köpenicker Landstraße and Rummelsburger Landstraße over the next few years. BVG also plans to extensively expand and modernize workshops and rail facilities by 2030.
By the beginning of the 2030s, the entire bus fleet should be completely emission-free. BVG is relying mainly, but not exclusively, on battery-electric drives. "I can't yet say whether 80, 85 or 90 percent of the conversion will be battery-powered," said BVG boss Henrik Falk a few months ago. Tests are currently being carried out with fuels made from used vegetable and cooking oil, known as HVO, in order to keep newer diesel vehicles running for longer. The company has so far left open the question of whether hydrogen drives will also be an option in the long term.