Helsinki expands EV mandate to vans and minibuses

Helsinki is gradually phasing out combustion engines in its municipal fleet - and, following passenger cars, the Finnish capital will now focus on pure EVs where procurement of its transporters and minibuses is concerned. Stricter requirements will also apply to companies that transport people or goods on behalf of the city.

Image: Joonas Sorsa / Stadt Helsinki

As early as May 2022, Helsinki had established environmental criteria for the procurement of vehicles and transport services. Since reducing traffic emissions plays a key role in achieving the city’s climate and environmental goals, these criteria have now been updated for 2026 to 2030.

Jukka-Pekka Ujula, Director of the City Chancellery, approved the new requirements, which take effect immediately, on 14 September. The criteria go beyond the requirements of Finland’s Clean Vehicles Act and are also intended to support the goals of the Finnish Green Deal for emission-free construction sites.

For its own passenger cars, Helsinki is maintaining the existing requirement to procure only battery-electric vehicles. The key new development is that the city will now directly specify the powertrain for vans, minibuses and purchased transport services, rather than merely setting CO₂ limits or considering emissions during tender evaluations. In future, the city will procure its own vans and minibuses exclusively as battery-electric vehicles.

A market dialogue will first determine whether a suitable model is available. If no appropriate model exists for the intended use case, only then will a internal combustion engine vehicle be permitted – which must then run on biogas or HVO. The criteria allow some discretion for patient transport, emergency and accessible vehicles.

30 per cent of the city’s passenger cars are electric

Electrification of transport in the Helsinki region is already progressing faster than in the rest of Finland. For passenger cars and vans, the transition has progressed well, while for heavy-duty vehicles, it has only just begun. By the end of 2025, 30 per cent of the city’s registered passenger cars and 13 per cent of its vans were fully electric.

On average, Helsinki procures around 92 vans and minibuses per year via leasing. The associated procurement costs amount to approximately €3.6 million annually, according to the city. The current estimate places the price difference between an electric and a combustion-engine van at an average of €11,000. The city does not provide figures on the annual procurement volumes and costs for passenger cars.

The municipal fleet comprises around 1,300 passenger cars, vans, trucks and buses. The city uses both its own vehicles and those leased through the municipal construction service provider Stara.

Life cycle costs become mandatory for heavy-duty vehicles

For heavy-duty vehicles, Helsinki cites high purchase costs and still incomplete charging infrastructure as challenges. When procuring its own trucks and buses, the city will first examine whether battery-electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered models or vehicles primarily running on biogas are available.

Previously, the use of alternative powertrains only factored into the quality assessment of tenders, with electric, hydrogen or biogas-powered vehicles receiving additional points. In future, a market dialogue and a comparison of life cycle costs will be mandatory. Factors considered will include purchase price, energy costs, residual value and maintenance requirements.

However, the mathematically cheapest option will not automatically determine the choice of powertrain. The associated guidelines explicitly state that the city may still opt for an electric vehicle even if it is estimated to be the most expensive option over its life cycle. Availability and life cycle costs will then be used to assess whether a diesel vehicle is necessary instead. Such a vehicle may only be operated on HVO.

Stricter requirements for transport service providers

For passenger transport services using passenger cars, such as taxi firms, only fully electric vehicles will be permitted in future. Previously, a limit of a maximum of 50 grams of CO₂ per kilometre (WLTP) applied, which also allowed the use of plug-in hybrids. If immediate conversion is not feasible according to the market dialogue, a transitional period may be established. However, by 2028 at the latest, services must be fully electric.

For freight transport using vans and passenger transport using minibuses, at least 50 per cent of the vehicles deployed must be fully electric. Additionally, electric vehicles must account for at least half of the total mileage. The remaining vehicles must run on biogas or HVO. If there are not enough suitable electric vehicles available for the specific use case, the prescribed electric share may be adjusted.

For procured truck and bus services, Helsinki will now mandatorily require that vehicles are powered by electricity, fossil-free hydrogen, HVO or primarily biogas. Conventional diesel is no longer permitted. However, a market dialogue will first clarify which powertrains are available. If market conditions allow, Helsinki may impose stricter requirements in a specific tender and demand exclusively battery-electric, hydrogen or biogas vehicles. The city views HVO as a transitional solution, which it intends to phase out once emission-free alternatives are widely available.

The criteria are binding for the City Chancellery, all departments and the municipal enterprises Stara and Palvelukeskus Helsinki. Municipal companies are recommended to adopt them as well. Deviations from the criteria are permitted only if necessary for crisis preparedness. The next review is scheduled for 2030.