Georgia: City of Batumi with new electric buses thanks to EU and EBRD
Georgia: City of Batumi with new electric buses thanks to EU and EBRD
Tuesday, 20 October 2020 07:39

Georgia: City of Batumi with new electric buses thanks to EU and EBRD o.polyuga Tue, 10/20/2020 - 09:39

Photo: EBRD

The city of Batumi is the first city in Georgia to have electric buses. The energy-efficient and green buses are adapted for people with disabilities; they are equipped with heating, air conditioning, a sound system and video cameras. Each vehicle has 24 seats and is designed for up to 70 passengers.

The electric buses will be charged at their respective bus terminuses, and the charging process takes between 6 and 8 minutes. The vehicles can travel up to 25 kilometres on one charge.

The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Carl Hartzell, noted:

“The EU is proud to support the introduction of electric buses to the transport fleet of Batumi. Thanks to a grant provided by the EU via the E5P Fund, passengers in Batumi are the first in the South Caucasus to experience quiet, non-polluting electric buses. Transportation reform plays a key role in reducing air pollution and emissions of harmful greenhouse gasses. Delivery of the buses is linked to a commitment by the Batumi municipality to optimise the city’s public transport and parking system to let the new buses achieve their full efficiency and environmental benefits.”

The new buses were purchased as part of a combined €5.5 million sovereign loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and a grant from the Eastern European Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) of over GEL 4 million (around €1.5 million). The E5P’s largest donors are the EU and Sweden.

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