Leiria region to introduce first electric interurban buses

The Leiria region in Portugal is set to introduce its first interurban electric buses by the end of the year. This initiative follows an agreement between the Intermunicipal Community (CIM) and the regional public transport concessionaire, Rodoviária do Lis II.

A total of 11 fully electric buses will be added to the fleet to reinforce public service and support decarbonization efforts. Six of these vehicles represent a direct investment by the CIM exceeding three million euros, which includes a charging system partially funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). These six buses will be provided to the concessionaire to provide an additional 300,000 vehicle-kilometers of service per year.

The remaining five electric buses, representing an investment of approximately 2.5 million euros also funded by the PRR, were acquired directly by the concessionaire. Full operation of the fleet is contingent upon the completion of a charging station in the Cova das Faias Industrial Zone in Leiria, which is expected to be functional by the end of 2026.