Italy’s procurement giant, Consip, has launched a high-impact tender worth €652 million, ordering 600 battery-electric buses to support urban and interurban routes. Source: sustainable-bus.com.
🚍 Fleet Breakdown by Type & Charging
Consip’s versatile specifications reflect a full spectrum of public transport needs:
- Minibuses (5 m & 6 m): 70 units, plug-in charging – ideal for last-mile transit
- Midibuses (8 m, 9 m & 10 m): 230 units, plug-in – suited for varied urban loops
- Standard urban/interurban (12 m): 250 units total – 190 city buses + 60 Class II intercity buses, all plug-in
- Articulated buses (18 m): 50 units – 35 plug-in + 15 pantograph-charged for quick top-ups
Why This Matters
- It’s Italy’s latest push—after a 2022 tender for 1,000 e‑buses and a 2023 tender for 500 e- and hydrogen buses
- Aligned with EU climate goals, it’s part of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan for decarbonizing transport
- Between 2023–2024, Italy’s electric bus registrations surged, doubling market share: by early 2025, e-buses claimed 43 % of the >8 t segment
Peculiarities
- Charging infrastructure: The tender omits explicit provision operators must fill that gap.
- Cost per unit: With a unit cost nearing €1 million, bidders and observers are expected to scrutinise range, warranties, and operational specs .
- Market impact: This tender could accelerate e-bus adoption across Italy, setting a precedent for other EU nations.