The Irish operator’s first regional electric fleet is taking to the roads, using Wrightbus Electroliner buses, following a €54m investment
A fleet of 55 double-deck electric buses is to introduced as part of €54 million investment by Ireland’s National Transport Authority (NTA). The investment will see Bus Éireann operate more than 2.1 million emission-free kilometres on Limerick services per year, in a city which saw a 15% year-on-year passenger increase in 2023. The investment builds on the success of Ireland’s first ever all-electric town bus service in Athlone, launched in January 2023.
The new buses were officially launched on 12 April, with 34 of the electric buses already delivered and a further 21 expected to enter service in early 2025. The all-electric service will be enabled by a network of 35 Hitachi Energy dual-head charging stations, of which 15 are already in place at the operator’s Roxboro depot, providing charging for 30 vehicles. The remaining 20 are expected to be operational in early 2025.
The NTA’s investment builds on recent double-digit year-on-year passenger growth across Bus Éireann’s Limerick city services. In 2023, Bus Éireann carried over 44 million passenger journeys nationally, of which 4.6 million were in Limerick, a 15% increase compared to 2022.
In preparation for the new all-electric service, Bus Éireann said its drivers and mechanics have undergone a comprehensive training programme totalling more than 500 hours.
The buses were launched by Irish Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD. He said: “It is great to see the launch of electrified bus services in Limerick city today. This follows on from the successful rollout of a fully electrified town bus service in Athlone last year and the ongoing decarbonisation of the Dublin bus fleet. Government is committed to the greening of our public transport services and today represents an important step toward meeting our climate targets, while also providing a quieter, cleaner bus service for the people of Limerick. In other city and town locations people have responded to the transformation of our public transport services in their droves and I fully expect it will be the very same here in Limerick.”
CEO of the National Transport Authority Anne Graham added: “The introduction of the 34 state-of-the-art electric buses today in Limerick marks a milestone in the NTA’s ongoing commitment to decarbonising the urban bus fleet. These zero-emission vehicles will not only provide a smoother, more accessible journey for our customers, but will also significantly reduce CO2 emissions and noise pollution in the areas they operate.
“This investment highlights the NTA’s dedication to creating a cleaner, greener and more efficient future for the people of Limerick.”
