Memories from UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2023: the e-Bus as-a-service model by Enel X Global Retail for cities and people

Four years after the last edition, the UITP Global Public Transport Summit (June 4-7, 2023) is back. An immersive experience that saw Barcelona become the world’s public transport capital: 40,000 m2 of exhibition space, 380 exhibitors, an estimated 15,000 visitors, and more than 100 accredited global media outlets. The UITP Summit is the ideal place to discover the latest trends and most innovative solutions for urban mobility, bringing together Public Transport Professionals from around the globe.

“Bright Light of the City” was the theme chosen for the 2023 edition of the summit, to point out the remarkable role of public transport in improving citizens and tourists’ life.
The whole program of the Summit revolved around two major pillars: Cities, bringing themes like Transitioning to Net Zero, New Gen Cities, Innovative and Resilient Operations; and People, with topics like Customer Centricity, Public Transportation for Social Inclusion and Talented and Happy Staff.

e-Bus as-a-service model: Enel X Global Retail presented its solution to revolutionize urban public transportation and improve people’s lives

Enel X Global Retail actively participated in the Global Public Transport Summit and presented its e-Bus as-a-service model – responsive to the needs of cities and people – as the reference choice for public administrations and transportation companies to foster and accelerate the transition to electric urban public transport.

Cities: administratively, the e-Bus as-a-service model ensures collaboration with a one stop shop partner experienced in mobility, electrification, and energy services, with an integrated approach instead of traditional procurement processes by governments and public transport operators. In addition to financing the entire project, the model provides for the complete electrification of the fleet through the supply and maintenance of the vehicles, the installation and management of the charging infrastructure, the provision of green energyand a software platform for monitoring and optimizing charging sessions.

People: the benefits of the e-Bus as-a-service model fall positively on people. Efficient electrified public transport lowers air and noise pollution in cities and makes them more livable and people-friendly. It improves people’s travel experience, helps people better experience the city as inhabitants, and enhances it by also serving as a vector of tourist attraction.

Marco Gazzino (Head of B2G EXGR) at UITP: the benefits of the as-a-service offering

During  the UITP Global Public Transport Summit Marco Gazzino, Head of B2G at Enel X Global Retail, presented the customer benefits of their as-a-service offering for electric public transport, mentioning:

• Fixed Monthly fee: transparent fee guaranteed, with no risks and zero upfront investments for the customers
• Turnkey solution: Enel X GR is the single touchpoint for all the assets and services included in the fleet electrification process, leveraging a no-brainer approach to minimize complexity
• Modular offer: every project is tailored on the specific needs of each customer

«We know that going electric is not a mere substitution of a diesel bus to an electric one. It is a complex project. Our mission at Enel X Global Retail is to remove this complexity from the administration’s and the transport operator’s shoulders, to let them do what they are best at: moving people comfortably», he declared.

Today, Enel X Global Retail has been entrusted to provide electrification services for more than 6000 e-Buses in 12 countries and 3 continents (more than 2000 charging stations, including pantographs, 30 electro terminals provided worldwide). Below two examples that prove the positive impacts of Enel X’ projects for electric transportation on local communities and the environment.

Chile: Campaña Reforestemos

To strengthen its commitment to the environment and further raise awareness, Enel X Global Retail in Chile will plant 1,540 trees-one for every electric bus operated in the country. The trees will be planted in south-central Chile, within the Nonguén National Park in the Bío Bío region. Their presence will remove 539 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year.

Colombia: Usme El Prado, the largest depot in Latina America turned into a sustainability hub

Enel X Global Retail was significantly involved in the plan for the electrification of the public transport in Bogotá, accounting today for 878 electric buses running in the Colombian capital city and 412 charging stations installed in 6 depots. The last depot built, Usme El Prado, the largest one in Latina America, became a true sustainability hub, housing LED lighting, solar panels and a rainwater collection system for washing buses. The walls of the electro-terminal were adorned with graffiti created by local artists with a photocatalytic paint to neutralize the emitted CO₂, NOx and PM particles. Vertical gardens and a community orchard were also created to enhance the beauty and the value of the depot. These sustainability and inclusion initiatives were designed to advance the engagement of local communities, to protect their health and the environment, and to promote biodiversity.

Rome: electric school-buses for students with disabilities

Enel X Global Retail started the electric revolution of Italian public transport with one of the first e-Bus as-a-service projects completed in Rome. Enel X GR, in partnership with Arriva Italia, delivered  20 electric school-buses powered by 10 charging stations,  for the daily school transportation of several girls and boys with disabilities. The project marked a significant inception under the hallmarks of sustainability and inclusion and represented a milestone that proved the e-Bus as-a-service model perfectly suitable for the school transport segment. 

New public fleet segments

The flexibility of the e-Bus as-a-service model makes it versatile and easily applicable to other types of urban fleets devoted to public services, such as:

• School transportation (i.e., the case of Rome)
• Seasonal transportation services to address the need for a more flexible and widespread urban mobility (like the case of the seasonal shuttle in the city of Iglesias, Sardinia)
• Waste collection services and urban sanitation
• First aid and medical transport (“e-Ambulance as-a-service,” read more about the case of Enel Chile for the Chilean Red Cross)