Göttingen plans new depot for at least 100 electric buses
The Göttingen Transportation Company has awarded the planning contract for its new electric bus depot. On an area of around 40,000 square meters, facilities including parking spaces for at least 100 electric buses along with charging infrastructure are planned to be built. Construction is set to begin in 2029.
Mercedes-Benz eCitaro in the GöVB fleet
Image: GöVB
With the signing of the contract, concrete planning begins for the new depot of Göttinger Verkehrsbetriebe (GöVB) on Hermann-Kolbe-Straße in Göttingen. The contract was awarded to a consortium of Ingérop Deutschland, AREP, and AREP ARCHITECTES from Paris. This followed a two-stage European bidding process preceded by an invitation to tender.
"Our goal is a high-performance, cost-effective, and future-ready infrastructure that enables the reliable operation of an expanding fleet of electric buses. Together with the planning office, we will now take swift action on the next steps and turn this compelling concept into a viable implementation," explains Michaél Neugebauer, CEO of GöVB. "By deciding to build a new electric bus depot at the Herman-Kolbe-Straße location, we are setting important milestones for the future of public transportation in our city," adds Mayor and Board Chair Petra Broistedt.
The plan includes space for at least 100 electric buses, as well as a reserve area that allows the site to be expanded in the future. Additionally, there are areas for workshops and maintenance, operational and administrative buildings, parking spaces for employees, as well as the necessary energy and charging infrastructure. The GöVB estimates that the project will require a total area of around 40,000 square meters.
The documents do not specify what kind of charging infrastructure will be installed. The GöVB has not yet provided information on the number of charging stations, their capacity, or the planned charging concept. They state that the total investment for the project amounts to 60 million euros.
Commissioning planned for late 2031
In the coming months, the project-related feasibility study and preliminary planning will take place. Meanwhile, GöVB plans to issue and award further specialized planning services as well as submit funding applications. Design, approval, and construction planning are set to follow thereafter.
According to current plans, construction is expected to begin in 2029. The new depot is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2031. By then, the site is intended to meet the requirements for a continuously growing fleet of electric buses.
GöVB Has Been Pursuing Electrification for Some Time
The Göttingen Transportation Company had already begun electrifying its bus fleet years earlier. In November 2021, it acquired the first two fully electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro G buses. Four more vehicles were scheduled to be added in the following weeks, so that by early 2022, six electric buses would be operating on regular routes. At that time, there were also twelve plug-in hybrid buses in the Göttingen fleet.
In November 2021, the GöVB set a goal to convert two-thirds of its bus fleet to electric power within the next ten years. The current announcement does not clarify whether this goal, established just under five years ago, remains unchanged. It is clear, however, that with two new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro buses delivered to the Göttingen Verkehrsbetriebe at the end of August, the fleet now consists of 30 electric buses.