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Germany's urban bus fleets remain dominated by diesel
A study by the Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) reveals that diesel-powered buses still dominate public transport in Germany, accounting for 70 percent of fleets in the 39 largest cities. When including mild hybrids, the figure rises to 77 percent.
Mannheim, Freiburg, and Karlsruhe are identified as leaders in the transition to battery-electric buses, with Mannheim reporting a 60.6 percent electric fleet. Conversely, cities like Essen, Wuppertal, Krefeld, and Augsburg face criticism for low electric quotas or continued reliance on diesel and biogas.
In the Düsseldorf region, Rheinbahn is expanding its electric fleet, recently receiving 40 new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro buses from Daimler Buses. The company addressed previous concerns regarding electric bus fires and winter performance, noting enhanced fire safety measures in new charging depots and successful winter operations.
Entities
Daimler Buses · Deutsche Umwelthilfe · Düsseldorf · Germany · Hamburg · Mannheim · Rheinbahn
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Essen, Wuppertal, and Krefeld ranked poorly in the transition to electric buses in North Rhine-Westphalia. www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Krefeld currently operates 10 hydrogen buses and plans to add 19 more by 2027. www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Essen bus fleet consists mostly of nearly 300 diesel buses meeting Euro VI standards. www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Diesel-powered buses account for 70 percent of fleets in the 39 largest German cities. www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Essen's public transport operator, Ruhrbahn, operates 19 hydrogen buses. www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Fuel cell electric buses make up one-sixth of the Wuppertal fleet. www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] As of late 2025, Essen, Wuppertal, and Krefeld had no battery-powered electric buses in their fleets. www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.wz.de