Zurich public transport approves purchase of new electric buses

The Zurich city council approved spending to replace faulty electric buses in the city’s public‑transport fleet. The first contract allocates 17 million CHF for 20 new electric articulated buses, with eight units ordered from Yutong’s French subsidiary and twelve from Daimler Buses Schweiz. The decision follows repeated problems with the existing fleet supplied by Swiss firm Hess and German manufacturer MAN, including delivery delays, heating and ventilation faults, and power‑supply issues.

A larger procurement was announced later, totaling 230 million CHF for 180 new electric buses. Sixty of these will be built by the Chinese manufacturer Yutong at a cost of about 107 million CHF, while the remaining 120.8 million CHF will go to Daimler Buses Schweiz. The community response is divided, with some residents criticizing the reliance on Chinese suppliers as an “out‑selling of Swiss industry,” while others praise the price‑performance offered by Yutong.

The new vehicles are slated to enter service by mid‑2027, and the city reserves the right to purchase additional units from the same manufacturers after the initial trial phase.