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Berlin: Switching to e-buses costs a billion euros more than planned


BERLIN. The Berlin Transport Service (BVG) reckon with the conversion of diesel to electric buses with one billion euros additional costs. According to Bild newspaper, a report by the Senate Department for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protection to financial experts of the House of Representatives states that the ideas of the BVG and the Senate regarding the electrification of bus transport were "very different".

The Senate had previously estimated a cost of 1.8 billion euros, but according to the BVG it should be 2.94 billion euros, which would have to be issued for full electrification in 2030.

"We need more drivers"
The costs would result from the necessary new depots, charging technology and higher personnel requirements. "Diesel buses drive up to 400 km with a tank. For e-buses that have a much lower range, the lines must be shortened. That means that we need more drivers," a BVG spokeswoman told the paper.

In addition, staff are needed for the new depots. "We have previously assumed that the maintenance of an electric motor is cheaper than that of a diesel engine," admitted SPD finance politician Sven Heinemann. Senate and BVG would have to explain in detail the one billion more that should come from the state budget.

Source:
Junge Freiheit

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