Zurich’s city council has given the green light for the Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ) to purchase 20 new electric buses. This is the first time a Chinese manufacturer will supply vehicles to the Swiss city’s public transport fleet.
The Zurich city council authorised approximately CHF 17 million in spending for eight electric standard buses from Yutong France and twelve electric articulated buses from Daimler Buses Schweiz. The new vehicles are expected to enter service starting mid-2027 as part of the VBZ’s ongoing effort to replace ageing vehicles across its roughly 250-bus fleet. Beyond the base order, the contracts include options for the VBZ to expand the fleet with additional electric buses from either supplier at a later date.
The decision follows persistent reliability problems with electric buses procured in 2022 and 2023, prompting the VBZ to abandon further options with its previous suppliers in favour of new models to improve operational safety. Those earlier issues were significant: around 50 MAN electric buses and 7 Hess buses experienced charging failures and unreliable performance, forcing the VBZ to temporarily borrow buses from other regions to cover shortfalls. Zurich’s transit authority openly criticized Swiss manufacturer Hess in the new tender process, citing dissatisfaction with the previous fleet’s quality.
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The China Factor
Yutong, selected for the standard bus order through its French subsidiary, is one of China’s largest electric bus manufacturers and marks the first time a Chinese-linked firm has won a VBZ tender. The overall contract volume, including base orders and future options for up to 20 additional standard buses and 60 additional articulated buses, could reach roughly CHF 230 million. The shift has drawn commentary in the Swiss press, with some outlets questioning cybersecurity risks tied to Chinese-manufactured vehicles while others argue the concerns are overstated relative to the benefits of improved reliability.
Both manufacturers are recognized as leading providers of electric buses in Europe, and the VBZ cited their proven track record as a key factor in the selection.
The order fits into Zurich’s wider decarbonization strategy for public transport, which aims to cut direct greenhouse gas and noise emissions from the bus network. It follows a January 2026 tender for up to 100 additional electric buses worth up to CHF 300 million with options, signaling one of the largest ongoing electric bus procurement efforts in the European public transport sector. Nationally, the Federal Office of Transport has already approved subsidy applications for more than 280 electric buses as Switzerland works toward full fleet electrification.
