Keolis given Gothenburg electric bus contract

Pictured: Keolis operates a range of buses in Sweden.

Keolis’ subsidiary in Sweden, Keolis Sverige, has been awarded a new contract by Västraffik, Gothenburg’s public transport authority, to operate and maintain an articulated fully electric bus fleet in the north-eastern part of the city. The ten-year contract, worth €150 million, will come into force in June 2022. 

Gothenburg and its metropolitan area are home to 1.5 million residents. Located in the southwestern part of the country, it is Sweden’s second largest city.  The contract is part of Västraffik’s strategic goal of converting its city bus fleet into electric buses by 2030.

The network features two lines and will carry 17 million passengers per year. The articulated electric buses are expected to cover 2.9 million kilometres annually. 

Keolis says the e-buses can be charged at three depots across the network, all of which will be adapted and equipped with overnight charging facilities.

“We are honoured that Västraffik, with whom we have been partners since 2010, has entrusted us with operating and maintaining the 100 per cent e-bus network in Gothenburg,” said Bernard Tabary, CEO International of Keolis Group.

“We look forward to supporting our public transport authority partner in rolling out electric buses and making the necessary changes to the infrastructure that will improve the daily life of Gothenburg’s residents. Keolis’ expertise in electromobility will doubtless be a key factor in the success of this project.”

Keolis Sverige has been present in Sweden since 2003 and operates 1,600 fossil-free buses in four Swedish regions, covering 100 million kilometres every year. 

On behalf of Västraffik, Keolis operates three other bus networks, all running on alternative energies and, by the end of the year, will operate a fourth network linking Gothenburg to Borås. Since January 2021, Keolis has also been testing a Navya-built autonomous electric shuttle service in Gothenburg’s Lindholmen Industrial and Science park.