The Roth district is planning to switch to emission-free buses – what happens now?

The Roth district is planning to switch to emission-free buses – what happens now?

In the Roth district, a significant switch to emission-free buses is currently being considered. A feasibility study has shown that battery buses are significantly more economical than their hydrogen counterparts. The decision on the specific switch is expected in 2027, while the actual start of the switch is planned for December 2029. Until then, transport companies will have to overcome a number of challenges in order to comply with emission reduction targets.

As nn.de reports, the study states that at least 45% of the vehicle fleet in the district must be clean by 2025, with half of it being emission-free. And it doesn't stop there: from 2026 onwards, this proportion is expected to rise to 65%, until new city buses will have to emit 90% less CO₂ in 2030. The switch to zero-emission vehicles is part of the Clean Vehicles Procurement Act, which has been in force since 2021 and aims to make local public transport more environmentally friendly.

Economic efficiency and challenges

The conversion costs for switching to electric mobility are enormous: it is estimated that the conversion could cost up to 13 million euros, while a complete switch to battery buses could cost more than 32 million euros. The hydrogen buses are even more expensive at an estimated 68 million euros, but it was found that a full switch to hydrogen is considered “not economical”. However, there will be no noticeable impact on traffic in the short term, as the first announcement is unlikely to take place until 2027 at the earliest.

In order to achieve the ecological goals, the district has already identified two line bundles: bundle four, which includes the Roth and Büchenbach routes, and bundle two, which serves Röttenbach and Georgensgmünd. These decisions are no coincidence, as public transport in rural areas has special challenges, particularly in relation to the range of buses.

Funding and future

In order to strategically support this change, the federal government is making 1.25 billion euros available for research and promotion of alternative drives by 2024. The “Guideline for the promotion of alternative drives for buses in passenger transport” aims to support transport companies in purchasing and operating emission-free vehicles. This is also reflected in the results of [now-gmbh.de].

This funding includes not only buses with electric drives, but also alternative drive systems such as fuel cells and even biomethane-powered vehicles. However, the challenge of converting the entire infrastructure to emission-free drives is becoming clear and has an impact on the costs and long-term economic viability of local public transport, as also noted in nahverkehrspraxis.de.

The citizens of the Roth district can be curious to see how the plans will develop and what new circumstances public transport will have to adapt to in the coming years. The transformation to more sustainable means of transport is not only necessary, but also an important sign for the future of our cities.