Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs is providing continued financial support for the expansion of electric bus fleets, with funding announced for at least 1,500 additional vehicles.
The 2026 funding will support the purchase and conversion of buses using battery and fuel cell technologies, as well as associated charging and refuelling infrastructure. Eligible vehicles include battery electric buses, hydrogen fuel cell buses, and conversions from conventional diesel vehicles.
Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder said:We have already invested around €1.5 billion in more than 5,300 climate-friendly buses. We are consistently continuing this successful path: With the budget available in 2026 alone, we intend to deploy a further 1,500 electric buses across the entire region. This will strengthen public transport, accelerate the market launch of innovative drive technologies, and pave the way for climate-friendly mobility.
The programme is structured into different funding categories, including an ‘activation programme’ for standard fleet upgrades and a ‘scaling programme’ designed for operators that have already introduced a significant number of electric buses. Applications will be assessed through a competitive process based on environmental impact and efficiency criteria.
Since the introduction of the original funding scheme in 2021, approvals have been granted for more than 5,300 buses across around 330 transport operators. Of these, more than 2,300 vehicles are already in service.
The new call for proposals opens on 21 May 2026, with project outlines able to be submitted from 26 May 2026.
