North Macedonia eyes 100-120 electric buses for public transport

North Macedonia should have 100-120 new electric buses by the next heating season, according to Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski expects 100 to 120 new electric buses to be rolled out by the next heating season. The buses would be used in cities for urban public transport, local media reported.

The government is analyzing the market and finding the fastest possible solution to deploy 100-120 electric buses, Mickoski stressed. In order not to burden the republic’s budget, the payment, in his words, should include a deferment period and half-yearly installments.

Most of the electric buses should be allocated to Skopje

Local authorities that have urban public transport systems will receive electric buses and infrastructure for their operation, such as charging stations. Around 50 e-chargers should be needed, according to the government.

The largest number of electric buses will be located in the country’s capital Skopje, the prime minister noted.

Mickoski revealed the plan just as public transport utility JSP Skopje reduced the number of buses on the streets due to fuel issues. The Government of North Macedonia was forced to lend 250 tons of oil to a local firm.

Electric buses are slowly taking over in Europe

Mickoski said city transport is under the jurisdiction of the City of Skopje and that he expects the situation to stabilize.

Electric buses are slowly taking over in Europe, but their introduction in the region is slow. Such vehicles help reduce air pollution in urban areas, a problem that the majority of cities in the region are facing.

In 2023, electric buses accounted for 36% of new city bus sales in the EU, overtaking diesel as the main type for the first time. The share was the highest in Slovenia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Finland.

Croatia’s capital Zagreb recently made a bold move by launching the procurement of its first electric buses. It will buy four vehicles, followed by another 70, of which some would run on electricity and others on hydrogen.

Of note, the European Union’s new CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles are forcing manufacturers to cut the average emissions of trucks by 90% by 2040, and of urban buses by 100% by 2035.