NEWS
Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga was the first passenger to try out the Hungarian Modulo Electric bus. For three weeks the midibus will operate on BKV routes 15, 16 and 26 and can be tried out free of charge by the public as well.
Our objective is to turn Hungary into a leader within Central Europe in the field of E-mobility and the use of electric buses, Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga said in the Castle District, where evopro’s electric bus, which has been developed and produced in Hungary, made its debut. The Minister called attention to the fact that according to the estimates of the International Energy Agency, 70 percent of new cars sold world-wide by 2050 will be electric, hybrid or plug-in hybrid models and this is posing a huge challenge. It is in the very best interest of the national economy to grab as large a share of this development process as possible and this requires technological innovation, he pointed out.
Mihály Varga stressed that the foundations necessary for this goal are in place. The Jedlik Ányos Plan and Cluster are part of this process, as they facilitate the production of innovative, competitive Hungarian vehicles – albeit Hungarian electric vehicle manufacturing has been a world-class sector, the Minister emphasised.
With regard to the Jedlik Ányos Plan, the Minister added that the government intends to facilitate E-mobility through legislative amendments, including by formulating an authority protocol for the installation of chargers, reviewing and amending the Electricity Act, introducing green licence plates for hybrid and electric vehicles, permitting the use of bus lanes, as well as introducing parking and road toll incentives.
Chief Executive of the Budapest Public Transport Company (BKV) Tibor Bolla stressed that one hundred years ago, in March 1915, an accumulator-driven omnibus was the first one to operate on a regular schedule in Budapest. Now the time has come when electric buses are back again in operation, he added.
evopro President and Owner Csaba Mészáros said that the Modulo bus would not be there on display without the support of the government’s economic stimulus measures.
Medio Electric, the electricity-driven prototype of the Modulo series – designed, developed and produced by Hungarian engineers – is an ultra-light, composite structure vehicle with 57 percent Hungarian-made content. The zero-emission bus is 8 meters long and has a passenger capacity of 65 people.
(MTI/Ministry for National Economy)
