E-buses lead new sales in EU, outpacing diesel for the first time

Electric buses have been shown to make up 36% of new city bus sales in the EU in 2023, surpassing diesel buses for the first time. The highest adoption rates were seen in Slovenia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland and Finland. 

Research by Transport and Environment (T&E) predicts that at the current growth rate, all new EU city buses could be zero-emission by 2027. However, EU regulations are lagging, with current CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) requiring only 90% of new city buses to be zero-emission by 2030 and 100% by 2035. 

Despite regulatory shortcomings, many EU Member States are leading by example, with fifteen outperforming the EU average in 2023:

• Slovenia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland and Finland already have over 90% of new city bus sales as zero-emission. 
• Among countries with at least 1,000 new city buses in 2023, the UK leads with a 63% zero-emission share, followed by Spain, Italy, and Germany. 
• Numerous cities and countries, including the Netherlands and Denmark, have set ambitious targets to achieve fully zero-emission bus fleets by 2030.

With the potential risks from foreign competition, European bus makers have a crucial role in meeting the rising demand for zero-emission buses. Since 2017, 20% of new battery e-buses in Europe have been imported from China. To stay competitive, European manufacturers need to exceed current regulatory targets and innovate to keep pace with the growing market for sustainable urban transportation.

Author: Carla Giaume

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.