Background information

On 3 October 2023, within the framework of transition towards green transportation, the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport signed a contract for the procurement of 250 new electric urban vehicles, environmentally friendly, which will replace older buses of urban transportation in the two largest urban centers of the country, Athens and Thessaloniki. This project aims at sustainable urban mobility, ensuring energy efficiency, and reducing the environmental footprint of the fleet, thus improving the daily lives of citizens. The project is being implemented with funding from the Recovery and Resilience Fund.

Content of measure

During the spring of 2024, it is estimated that the replacement of older buses with 250 new modern electric urban buses, 12 meters in length, will be completed in Athens and in Thessaloniki. This replacement is part of the wider plan of the Ministry of Transport for the fleet renewal in the two cities with 1300 low-emission buses by 2027. The selection of buses was made according to the current European Directive 2014/94/EU and they are characterized as clean vehicles. They belong to the latest updated emissions category of the EU for buses (EURO 6e) with significant environmental benefits compared to the existing articulated (18m) diesel fleet of OASA. The buses will be accompanied by independent slow chargers, which will be installed at the depots of Attica and Thessaloniki, and seven (7) mobile units for on-site charging if needed. The total cost amounts to €110,825,000, plus VAT. Additionally, for the operation of the electric buses, charging stations will be constructed. In Thessaloniki, on 19 February 2024, the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization (OASTH) signed a contract for the construction of the charging station for the 110 electric buses that will operate in Thessaloniki.

Use of measure

The beneficiaries of the measure will be the users of public transporation in Athens and Thessaloniki. On June 13, 2024, 250 modern Y-tong electric buses were integrated into the public transportation systems of Athens and Thessaloniki. In Athens, 140 new vehicles are operating within the urban areas of Athens and Piraeus, while in Thessaloniki, 110 electric buses mainly serve the western parts of the city.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government EU (Council, EC, EP)	European Funds National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

There is no any involvement of social partners.

Views and reactions

There are no social partner's reactions to the measure.

Sources

• 03 October 2023: Υπογραφή της σύμβασης προμήθειας 250 νέων ηλεκτρικών λεωφορείων για Αθήνα και Θεσσαλονίκη (www.yme.gr)
• 13 June 2024: Νέα εποχή για τις συγκοινωνίες με τον ερχομό των νέων “πράσινων” λεωφορείων σε Αθήνα & Θεσσαλονίκ (ypodomes.com)