Using test e-buses for identifying technical requirements for the city of Pécs

By project eBussed

Published on 02 September 2021

Hungary

Dél-Dunántúl

About this good practice

Problem addressed:
As learnt from the experience exchange in the eBussed project, several factors define the type and features of e-buses that are in use on the given settlement or region. The Good Practice describes an evidence based approach that provides opportunities to test several types of buses before deciding in favour of a given type of e-bus to be used locally.
Reaching of objectives, implementation:
For this above purpose the Municipality of Pécs City from 2013 on delivered several e-bus testings. During this process one occasion the EVOPRO, and four occassions (1 time EVOPRO, 4 times) BYD buses (midi and solo ones mixed) were in test operation. In each case the buses were in test-service for 1 week, on existing bus routes and with Pécs bus passengers using the that time available test vehicles.
The tests proved to be appropriate for identifying the right technological parameters and solutions, possible bus manufacturers that are in compliance with the e-mobility needs of the city (routes, morphology, etc.). The findings of this testing were widely communicated in the local media and the Pécs inhabitants - especially who did not travel on the test buses - received their very first impressions in connection with locally operated e-buses.
Tüke Busz Plc., main beneficiaries: Municipality of Pécs, Tüke Busz Plc. passengers.

Resources needed

For test e-bus operations the staff of the PTO and the staff of the local municipality provided human power and organisation capacities. The manufacturers of the e-buses allowed the two actors to use their buses and took care of logistics issues from the local e-bus dispatch centre to and from Pécs

Evidence of success

The good practice of EVOPRO Modulo C 68e Medio (midi bus) and BYD eBus K9UB (solo bus) test buses provided evidence based experiences on different landscapes within the city of Pécs.Operational technical data and experiences were taken into consideration when publishing Pécs public procurement for e-buses.
Factual evidence is that the 5 times tested buses were in service for 1-1 weeks, drivers,maintenance staff and local passengers collected hands on information on the e-bus public transport.

Potential for learning or transfer

The e-bus tests before deploying the electric buses are widely applied in different European Union countries. The Pécs case could be potentially interesting for other regions to learn from technological and process management terms. In technological regards, the appropriateness of the size and technology parameters of e-buses can be tested in local environments. In Process management terms the non-effective circle that the local politician/decision makers proposes the deployment of e-buses, following that non-experts prepare the purchase/procurements, without any evidence based reference points can be altered by starting the process with the cheap and easy solution of experience gathering in support of the decision making process. The Pécs case as for now has not been transferred to other locations domestically/internationally. Nevertheless, some main Hungarian cities considered the Pécs findings when deciding in favour of their future public transport development issues.