Potsdam cancels Ebusco order for 23 electric buses
Potsdam public transport operator ViP has terminated its contract with Ebusco for 23 electric buses due to continued delivery delays. ViP is already preparing a new tender, while the Dutch manufacturer is contesting the termination.
Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam (ViP) has terminated its contract with Ebusco for 23 battery-electric buses after repeated delivery delays. ViP awarded Ebusco the contract in late 2023 for ten 12-metre Ebusco 3.0 electric buses and 13 articulated 18-metre versions of the same model. The first 12-metre buses were originally due for delivery in March 2025, followed by the articulated vehicles two months later.
However, none of the 23 electric buses has been delivered to date. According to ViP, Ebusco repeatedly postponed the delivery dates, most recently indicating that the vehicles would arrive by spring 2027. As ViP said Ebusco was unable to provide a reliable delivery date, the Potsdam public transport operator terminated the contract with immediate effect on 29 July.
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However, the dispute is not yet resolved. Ebusco is contesting the termination and says it is assessing the potential financial consequences. The manufacturer said the two parties had recently been discussing the delivery schedule and related commercial conditions. Ebusco also noted that ViP had reserved the right to pursue possible claims against the manufacturer. The company plans to provide a detailed statement on 14 August, when it is also due to publish its half-year results.
The termination marks another setback for the electrification of Potsdam’s bus fleet. ViP still plans to procure 23 battery-electric buses and has already launched a new tender. As the technical specifications are largely based on those of the 2023 tender, the transport operator hopes to award the new contract quickly. However, it remains unclear when the replacement electric buses will enter service in Potsdam.
The project had already faced significant delays before ViP terminated the contract. The procurement of the 23 electric buses was initially budgeted at a total of €17.4 million. At the same time, work to convert ViP’s depot is also running behind schedule. The plans include replacing an existing parking facility and installing overhead charging infrastructure to allow the buses to charge via pantographs. A procurement dispute has also cast doubt on whether this part of the project can be completed by 2026.
The developments in Potsdam are part of Ebusco’s long-standing delivery issues. The Dutch manufacturer is facing financial difficulties and a large order backlog, which it is processing slowly. Other German transport operators have also been waiting for ordered vehicles for some time. However, the cracks in Ebusco 2.2 vehicles, which recently caused issues at BVG in Berlin, are unrelated to the Potsdam case. ViP had ordered the newer Ebusco 3.0 model, which features a composite material body.