Order DVB for an additional 20 electric buses for Dresden
The Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe (DVB) can acquire 20 more electric articulated buses. Along with the 18 vehicles ordered in March, the electric bus fleet is set to grow from the current 20 to 58 vehicles in the future.
Rico Seipel from DVB’s technical management team in front of an eCitaro.
Image: DVB
DVB’s board of directors approved the additional order at its September meeting. The 20 new electric buses are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2028. Together with the 18 vehicles already ordered, DVB will have acquired 38 of the total 45 electric articulated buses for which funding was approved by the Free State of Saxony since summer 2025.
The Saxon State Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development (SMIL) is allocating a total of 23.5 million euros for this purpose. Earlier in the spring, a lack of funds had slowed down the procurement process: initially, DVB could order only six vehicles in January, with twelve more following in March after additional funds were made available. Now, according to the transportation authority, the freed-up funds allow for the ordering of another 20 buses. As a result, seven vehicles from the previously funded batch remain unplaced for now.
DVB Exploiting the Electric Bus Framework Contract Further
Background: To update its fleet, DVB signed a framework contract with Daimler Buses in early 2026 for up to 45 electric buses. However, in the latest announcement, DVB does not explicitly name the manufacturer of the additional 20 vehicles.
The 18 buses that have already been ordered are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2026 and will be used on routes such as line 61. Meanwhile, the charging infrastructure must also be expanded. This includes upgrades at the Gruna bus depot as well as additional charging points at endpoints like Gröbelstraße in Löbtau. According to previous statements from DVB, the costs for this infrastructure are also eligible for subsidies.
With these new vehicles, DVB is also replacing older diesel buses that have some having accumulated over a million kilometers of mileage. The company believes that electric propulsion is becoming increasingly important from an economic perspective as well. DVB estimates that the price of diesel they purchase has risen by 54 percent since January.
Currently, the Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe operate 20 electric buses, including 18 articulated and two single-axle buses of the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro type that have been in service since 2022. With the 38 new buses already acquired, the electric bus fleet is set to grow to 58 vehicles in the future.