To fight increasing CO2 emissions from transport, the city of Warsaw aims to have one of the cleanest bus fleets in Europe and innovative charging facilities.
The City of Warsaw aims to deploy one of the cleanest bus fleets in Europe. By 2020, Warsaw Municipal Bus Company (MZA) will place 130 electric buses into operation together with cutting-edge charging infrastructure. Nineteen aerial chargers will be installed at selected ends of the bus lines, making it possible to reduce battery weight and thereby improve the environmental performance of the vehicles. Plans call for one-third of Warsaw’s buses to be powered by clean technology, either electric, hybrid, or gas models, in 2020. The goal is for 25% of all buses to run on electricity by 2030.
135,200 tons of CO2 reduced over a 10-year period by replacing existing diesel buses with e-buses
Cities100 – 2017
In the long run, the project shall assist the Poland-wide trend towards electric mobility, limiting risks related to CO2 emissions generated by fossil fuels consumed in the transportation sector. The project will also reduce local air pollutants such as NOx and SO2, which are generated by diesel buses, and reduce noise produced by standard vehicles.
The challenge
In Warsaw, CO2 emissions from transport increased by 34% from 2007 to 2012, while other sectors reduced their emissions. Shifting to e-mobility will be important in addressing environmental and climate challenges facing Warsaw.
Co-benefits
Economic While the purchase price for e-buses is higher, the fuel costs are just one-quarter of that for diesel buses, resulting in an overall lifecycle saving of $3.5 million for 130 buses.
Environmental The shift to e-buses will improve air quality significantly by reducing NOx, SO2, and PM2.5 emissions.
Social An upgrade of the public transport system will improve the mobility of all citizens in Warsaw – independently of income.
Health After full implementation, the first 10 years of the project is expected to reduce environmental costs worth $42.9 million.
About Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland and the 9th most-populous capital city in the European Union and is ranked as one of the most liveable cities in Central and Eastern Europe. The city is a significant centre of research and development and also one of the cities with the highest number of skyscrapers in the European Union.
