The number of electric buses in the HSL area will increase significantly next autumn, with 30 new fully electric buses entering service. Another five fully electric buses will start operating in February 2020. This was decided by the HSL Board on Tuesday 27 November. The Board awarded contracts for a number of bus services (bidding round 47/2018).
For the first time, HSL required bus operators to provide electric buses.
“Electric buses are zero-emission, energy efficient and quiet and HSL plans to significantly increase their number. Our goal is that by 2025, 30 per cent of buses used on HSL’s services are electric,” says Head of Group Mikä Häyrynen from HSL.
HSL’s goal is to cut local emissions affecting air quality as well as carbon emissions by more than 90 perc ent from 2010 levels by 2025. To reach this goal, we need not only electric buses, but also cutting-edge vehicle technology and the best fuels.
“In addition to electric buses, 85 new low-emission diesel buses that meet the Euro 6 emissions standards will enter service in the HSL area following this bidding round. The new buses are equipped, for example, with air conditioning and USB charging plugs,” says Häyrynen.
HSL has committed itself to reducing emissions by a variety of means. From the beginning of next year, electricity used for electric buses, trams, trains and metro must be sustainably generated, for example, by Nordic wind, water or solar power.
In addition, HSL has an environmental bonus system for compensating operators for the costs of reducing emissions. HSL has reserved two million euros for environmental bonuses in 2019. In 2012-2018, HSL has paid approximately six million euros in environmental bonuses to operators.
The first electric buses tendered by HSL will enter start operating on feeder routes in Leppävaara and in Kerava. Photo: HSL / Lauri Eriksson