De Lijn is expanding its e-bus fleet with another 350 vehicles from BYD and Daimler. The BYD buses are the last of a 2023 framework agreement for 500 e-buses, which sparked criticism from Belgian stakeholders for not selecting local bus manufacturers VDL and Van Hool, both of which have since gone bankrupt.
The first BYD buses for De Lijn entered service in June this year, and it seems the Flemish public transport operator is satisfied with them. De Lijn has decided to activate its third and final option to complete the 500-bus contract first signed with the Chinese manufacturer in late 2023.
Only small orders for Van Hool/VDL
This large order sparked controversy at the time because the local bus manufacturer Van Hool was denied the tender. This contributed to the Belgian company’s bankruptcy, which its Dutch competitor, VDL Group, later acquired. Since then, a small number of articulated e-buses have been ordered from VDL.
No reason has been given for the preference for BYD and Daimler, but lower purchase prices and faster delivery times are likely key factors. As it stands, De Lijn will receive a further 268 12-meter e-buses from BYD, which are built in Europe and will be delivered from Q2 2027.
New 500-bus framework with Daimler
The 80 Mercedes eCitaro buses from the German manufacturer Daimler, meanwhile, are part of a new framework agreement for up to 500 buses, with a potential total investment of €303 million. The first vehicles will be delivered in Q1 2027, with more to come if the experience is positive.
Turbo for the electrification of the bus fleet
These massive investments in electric buses are needed to rejuvenate De Lijn’s aging bus fleet. Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder recently allocated a “Turbo” of €400 million to the public transport operator to accelerate electrification in 2025. By 2035, De Lijn aims to operate a fully emissions-free fleet of over 2,000 e-bappears
It seems Opel is sourcing a mix of brands for its e-buses, with Iveco and Ciparticipating often through De Lijn’s subcontractors. But VDL hopes that, with a planned annual target of 200 new e-buses, De Lijn will consider them for the next tender.
