Sustainability in transit: Assessing the economic case for electric bus adoption in the UK

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2025

Subject Area

place - europe, mode - bus, infrastructure - vehicle, economics - subsidy, technology - alternative fuels, operations - scheduling

Keywords

Battery electric buses, Total cost of ownership, Vehicle scheduling, Crew scheduling, UK transport policy

Abstract

The decarbonisation of the transport sector is central to the UK's net-zero strategy. This study evaluates the economic viability of depot-charged single-decker electric bus fleets by integrating vehicle, crew, and charging scheduling into a total cost of ownership analysis. Our results indicate that today's electrified bus fleets are roughly cost comparable to their traditional diesel counterparts. However, the cost disparity varies depending on the timetabling scenario, such that smaller operations continue to require subsidisation. We conclude that further battery price reductions and a more targeted subsidy system are critical to bridging the cost gap between the two propulsion technologies in a way which maximises taxpayers' value for money.

Rights

Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Elsevier, copyright remains with them.

Comments

Transport Policy Home Page:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0967070X

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS