“A new era begins in the capital's public transport whose winners are the citizens of Budapest and the Hungarian industry and bus manufacturing”, stressed Mihály Varga, Minister of National Economy, after his ministry has signed a support agreement with BKV Ltd. to purchase 20 Hungarian-built electric drive midi buses and the necessary charging stations.

Mr. Varga added that this provides an opportunity for Hungarian bus manufacturing to become a world leader again. According to the agreement that grants nearly HUF 4 billion in non-repayable subsidy, the low-floor, air-conditioned, zero-emission electric buses will be on the roads of Budapest by May 15, 2016.

The Minister pointed out that as the purely electric drive buses are put into use in the regular public transport of Budapest, it will become evident that electric vehicles provide a real alternative to gas-powered cars.

“This agreement supports the government's efforts to make Hungary a leader in the spread of electric transport in Central Europe”, stressed Mr. Varga. The government would like to make Hungary profit from the expansion of new technologies in every regard: for environmental protection, for economic development, and to improve the country's competitiveness.

Tibor Bolla, President and CEO of BKV Ltd. mentioned that while today the operational cost of a diesel-powered bus is HUF 100 per kilometer, it's going to be less than one-third or one-fourth of that for electric buses. He recalled that when regular bus transport has begun in Budapest 100 years ago, one of the two routes were operated with a battery-powered electric bus. Today 2500 vehicles provide public transport in Budapest, of which more than one thousand travel routes totaling 2000 kilometers.

Balázs Szeneczey, the Deputy Mayor in charge of urban development highlighted that in a few months Budapest will have the third biggest electric bus fleet in Europe behind Amsterdam and London. He said: “The city government votes in favor of developing Budapest in an environmentally friendly, sustainable way.”