Electrifying connections: BVG buses to be fitted with power outlets in Marienfelde
Berlin Transport Authority to Commission First Electric Bus Depot in 2026
The Berlin Transport Authority (BVG) is set to commission its first electric bus depot next year, marking a significant step towards decarbonizing its bus operations. The new depot, located at Sântisstraße near the Buckower Chaussee S-Bahn station, is expected to cost around 190 million euros.
BVG CEO Henrik Falk called the occasion "historic," as the last new bus depot was opened 60 years ago - in Spandau. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Sântisstraße bus depot was celebrated on Friday morning.
By 2026, there will be 64 electric articulated buses in operation, with 150 more expected in 2026 and 120 in 2027. By the end of 2030, the BVG aims to have "at the beginning of the 2030s" fully decarbonized its bus operations, acknowledges Mobility Senator Ute Bonde. However, the current pace of conversion is not on track to meet this goal.
The new depot will be equipped with 36 end points, providing a total of 101 charging possibilities by mid-2028. Precautions have been taken for the possible future use of battery-powered double-decker buses at the Sântisstraße depot, but no electrically powered double-decker buses that meet the requirements of the BVG in terms of range and passenger capacity currently exist.
The construction of the Sântisstraße depot will correct a historical error. Since the Zehlendorf depot closed in 2005, BVG has not had a suitable maintenance and parking location for its extensive bus network in the south and southwest of Berlin. The new construction will fill this gap and will be a significant improvement for the BVG's operations.
Despite the investment, the acquisition costs for electric buses are still at two to three times those of diesel buses. Currently, there are still almost 900 diesel articulated buses and 198 diesel double-decker buses in the BVG fleet. The reliability of the electric bus fleet does not differ from that of the diesel buses, but the annual mileage is slightly higher for diesel buses due to technical reasons.
Traffic Senator Ute Bonde assures that the BVG's billion-euro investment program in new and expanded depots is financially secure. However, the final say is with the budget authority, i.e. the House of Representatives.
In addition to the Sântisstraße depot, the state-owned company has also been working on the construction of an electric bus site in Treptow-Köpenick, called the "Spree depot." This depot will be commissioned in 2027 and will close a geographical gap in the BVG's electric bus network.
As of now, 210 regular 12-meter city buses are battery-powered, while 204 still run on diesel. The BVG is making progress in electrifying its fleet, but there is still a long way to go before the goal of full electrification by the end of 2030 is achieved.
- The commissioning of the first electric bus depot in Berlin by the Berlin Transport Authority (BVG) in 2026 is a step towards decarbonizing the public-transit industry and a shift towards lifestyle choices that prioritize sustainability.
- In the realm of transportation, electric vehicles, including electric buses, are becoming increasingly prevalent in the finance sector, with a new electric bus depot costing around 190 million euros.
- The rise in electric vehicles like buses is also influencing the automobile industry, as the acquisition costs for electric buses are currently two to three times those of diesel buses.
- The BVG's investment program in new and expanded depots, such as the forthcoming electric bus depots in Sântisstraße and Treptow-Köpenick, signifies the finance sector's growing commitment to the advancement of electric vehicles in the public-transit and transportation industries.
