Continuing the TUMI E-Bus Mission: UITP events connect cities across the globe to advance e-mobility

June 2021 marked the launch of the TUMI E-Bus Mission: a quest to advance electric bus deployment across the global South, to ultimately bring healthier, more sustainable cities.

Funded under the German Ministry for Economic cooperation and Development (BMZ) and joining core groups including the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the TUMI E-Bus Mission supports 20 ‘deep dive’ cities in their transition towards electric bus deployment.

Since its launch, from Colombia to India, Indonesia to Kenya, the global TUMI team has provided key support to major metropolitan areas to work together on the electrification of bus fleets.

As a firm believer in electrification for sustainable mobility, UITP is proud to be part of this team, contributing through study tours, peer reviews, knowledge events, and technical support.

In September, UITP organised the E-Bus Market Dialogue and E-Bus Financial Market Dialogue webinars in Latin America. While the first one focused on providing cities, authorities, operators and OEMs with a better understanding of market needs and barriers, the latter highlighted the topic of financing electric buses, bringing together e-bus financing and funding stakeholders.

The events served as important exchange platform for all relevant players involved in electric mobility in the region. UITP is proud to facilitate these discussions, which enable the cooperation that is needed to truly accelerate e-mobility in the LATAM area.

The webinars are available below (in PT, with translation in ES)

E-Bus Market Dialogue – Latin America

E-Bus Financial Market Dialogue – Latin America

In October UITP is proud to be involved in events in India (City Network City Dialogue and E-Bus Market Dialogue, 14 October) and Indonesia (E-Bus Roadmap & Financing Strategy, 17 – 19 October).

The in-person city dialogue in India will allow stakeholders to discuss the key aspects related to the transition towards electric buses. It will provide a better platform for experience sharing by cities with operational fleets of electric buses, facilitating direct discussions between city officials and OEMS along with financiers.

In Indonesia, the event will serve as a dialogue and capacity building activity that aims to tackle two of the biggest challenges in e-bus deployment: roadmap development/vision setting and long-term financing strategy. Participants will hear from an Indonesian city already started with piloting e-bus operations, and get further insights into topics such as regulation and financing strategies.

In July 2022, UITP led a mission to Nairobi (Kenya) within the framework of TUMI. This mission aimed to assist transport authorities in developing a Roadmap for e-bus implementation, by creating a long-term electric bus deployment strategy for the BRT project in progress and for all transport modes including the matatu fleet.

Over four days, UITP led a peer review study on Nairobi’s e-mobility strategy aiming to identify the gaps and ensure the Roadmap for e-bus implementation answers Nairobi’s specific needs. Several meetings were organised and facilitated with the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (NaMATA), National Departments, local e-bus providers and the operators through the Federation of the Public Transport Sector (FPTS), who collectively show strong cooperation advancing electric bus mass roll-out in the region.

Later this year, a hybrid workshop to validate the Roadmap will take place along with a Market and Financial dialogue. This activity will foster exchanges among the e-bus manufacturers, besides bringing cities, authorities, and operators together with the relevant private sector and financing stakeholders.

Read more about our TUMI activities in Kenya here.

In October and November, UITP will organise various trainings in the framework of TUMI on electric bus deployment. You can find more information on our Trainings page.