Keolis got a 4-year extension in Stockholm to manage a fossil-free bus fleet (with 15 e-buses)

Keolis got a four-year extension worth 500 million euros to manage a fossil-free bus fleet in Stockholm, Sweden. This fleet is due to be composed by 335 vehicles with biogas, biodiesel or hybrid driveline. The extension was awarded on 3 July 2020 by the Swedish public transport authority (PTA) Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL).

The original contract, due to expire in August 2022, will now run until August 2026 and features the introduction of 15 new fully electric buses to the current fleet.

Earlier this year, Keolis was awarded a ten-year contract to operate and maintain 47 buses, including 32 fully electric vehicles in the greater Copenhagen area, in Denmark, starting in June 2021. In Norway, in 2019, Keolis was awarded a contract to operate and maintain 140 fossil-free buses in the city of Bergen, of which about 100 are electric (88 Yutong E12 have been ordered so far).

Keolis in Stockholm, 335 fossil-free buses by 2026

On 3 July 2020, Keolis Sverige, Keolis’ Swedish subsidiary, was awarded a four-year contract extension by SL worth 500 million euros. Effective August 2022, it covers the operation and maintenance of 335 fossil-free buses1 to serve the centre of Stockholm and Lidingö island northeast of the city, home to 400,000 residents.

Under this new contract, 15 new electric buses will complete the existing fleet from August 2022, paving the way for the PTA to roll out its electrification strategy for a greener public transportation system. Keolis will also enhance the passenger experience by implementing an IT system which will allow commuters to keep track of the precise position and arrival time of the next bus and know the number of passengers on board.

Keolis, a depot for e-buses to be built in Stockholm

The 361 km network features 41 lines, 400 bus stations, three depots and carries 80 million passengers annually. A new depot equipped with a charging system for the e-buses is due to be built and 1,400 Keolis staff will be dedicated to operating and maintaining this network.

Present in Sweden since 2003, Keolis Sverige is the second largest player in the Swedish bus market which counts over 6,000 employees. It operates in six regions with around 1,800 fossil-free buses, covering 93 million km and carrying 240 million passengers every year.

“We are delighted that SL, our partner since 2003, has decided to extend their long-term relationship with us,” commented Bernard Tabary, CEO International at Keolis. “Together, we will improve the quality of mobility as part of a strategy to develop greener cities. Thanks to our global experience in zero-emission bus operations elsewhere in Europe, Canada and the US, I have every confidence that we will successfully manage these sustainable contract transfers in close collaboration with the local authority.”