Vorarlberg to deploy 211 electric buses by 2029

Vorarlberg will have 211 electric public buses in service by the end of 2029, ORF reported. The western Austrian state began converting its bus fleet in 2020 and already had 142 electric buses operating across the region by the start of summer 2026.

The buses have travelled around 6.8 million kilometres so far, according to the Vorarlberg Transport Association, which coordinates public transport modernisation between the state, municipalities and 21 transport companies. A further 69 electric buses, ranging from minibuses to 18 metre articulated buses, are due to be added by 2029. The fleet is expected to save about 10,500 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Vorarlberg received 38.5 million euros in funding from two rounds of the Transport Ministry’s Emission Free Buses and Infrastructure programme. The programme initially covered 80 percent of the additional cost of an electric bus and now covers 60 percent. An electric bus costs about twice as much to purchase as a diesel vehicle, while lower maintenance needs make electric buses more economical to operate, according to the transport association.

The conversion depends on more than buying the vehicles. Energy supplier illwerke vkw AG, through its subsidiary vlotte vkw GmbH, plans, builds and operates the charging infrastructure and supplies the electricity. Transport companies and municipalities pay a monthly flat rate, while the energy company retains ownership of the charging stations for the duration of the contract.

The charging stations are built in modules so they can be expanded. By 2029, illwerke vkw plans to invest around 15 million euros in the infrastructure.

There are currently 155 charging points in Vorarlberg, including 87 at Postbus locations in Wolfurt, Bludenz and Feldkirch. The charging depot near Wolfurt freight station is described as Austria’s largest location for electric buses. It has a grid connection of five megawatts, with electricity distributed through several transformers and power units to the charging points. Each point can provide up to 240 kilowatts.

An intelligent load management system distributes charging capacity according to the buses’ operating times and schedules. Operators upload their timetables to software, which prioritises vehicles according to the length of their charging window. Overnight charging of roof-mounted batteries requires between 30 and 50 kilowatts. A bus stopping only briefly for an interim charge requires substantially more power.

According to Philipp Österle, managing director of vlotte vkw, an electric bus battery has a service life of 10 years and must still provide the full range in its tenth year.

The FreeE-Bus project at the Energy Research Centre of Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences uses simulations to calculate when buses should charge and at what power level. It also examines how the switch to electric buses can be made economically viable and provides a basis for operational planning.