Measures Catalogue for Improving the Circularity of Batteries Used in E-Buses

Sound and well-functioning transport systems are a key public service and a major safeguard for sound urban development. While the use of private passenger cars is still common in urban agglomerations around the world, it is increasingly obvious that such private motorised transport has its limits due to high space requirements. In addition, air pollution from combustion engines is a major issue in most metropolitan areas. Electrification of urban transport systems is a key means of mitigating this problem and has been embraced by municipalities and transit agencies in all world regions.

While the increasing use of electric buses has manifold advantages, it is also important that buses and their batteries are chosen and managed in the best possible manner to ensure that related investments yield maximal benefits to municipalities, transit agencies, operators, as well as to users and the wider urban societies. This measures catalogue aims at supporting decision-makers around procurement and operation of e-buses to plan and implement circular economy aspects in this field and to avoid negative side effects from low quality batteries and unsound end-of-life management.