FlixBus doubles battery-electric coach operation on Lisbon–Porto corridor with a second Yutong coach

FlixBus has deployed a second battery-electric coach on its 315 km-long Lisbon–Porto route.

FlixBus Portugal announced on 17 July the entry into service of a second battery-electric coach on the Lisbon–Porto corridor, almost two years after launching its first electric vehicle on the route (although first announcements about e-coach operations in the country date back to 2022). The operation continues in partnership with Portuguese operator AV Feirense, while EDP provides charging infrastructure through its facilities in Sacavém.

According to FlixBus Portugal, the two Yutong battery-electric coaches are currently the only vehicles operating on scheduled long-distance coach services in the Iberian Peninsula. Each vehicle offers a driving range of up to 400 kilometres and is recharged after every trip, with a charging time averaging two hours and 45 minutes from 20% to 100% state of charge.

Second Yutong electric coach enters Lisbon–Porto operation

The second vehicle follows the launch of the first battery-electric coach in September 2024. Based on the planned operation, FlixBus estimates the two coaches will avoid approximately 300 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, equivalent to around 150 tonnes per vehicle each year.

The company also shared operational data from the first 12 months of service of the initial electric coach. According to FlixBus, the vehicle covered more than 215,000 kilometres without direct CO₂ emissions and operated on 352 days out of 365. The 13 days during which the coach did not operate were attributed to scheduled maintenance and the nationwide power outage that affected Portugal.

The charging infrastructure supporting the operation is provided by EDP at its Sacavém facilities.

EDP says it has more than 4,000 contracted charging points connected to Portugal’s public charging network across all districts and more than half of the country’s municipalities. According to the company, more than 4.2 million charging sessions have been completed through its public charging infrastructure, supporting over 600 million kilometres of electric driving and avoiding more than 74,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions compared with combustion-engine vehicles.

In brief

• Which route is served by the electric coaches? The two battery-electric coaches operate on the Lisbon–Porto long-distance route.
• Which vehicles are used? FlixBus operates two Yutong battery-electric coaches with a stated range of up to 400 km.
• Who supports the project? The operation is carried out with AV Feirense, while EDP provides charging infrastructure in Sacavém.
• What emissions savings are expected? FlixBus estimates annual savings of around 300 tonnes of CO₂ for the two vehicles combined.

“These figures confirm the reliability of the solution and demonstrate that 100% electric coaches are a viable alternative for passenger transport on long-distance routes too,” says Tiago Cavaco Alves, director of operations for FlixBus in Portugal. “The partnership with AV Feirense and the support from EDP were key to the implementation of this project. We are proud to be pioneers in the decarbonisation of long-distance transport in Portugal and to have demonstrated that so-called express services can also run on clean energy. These two coaches, the only ones operating on long-distance routes in the Iberian Peninsula, are proof that the technology works. However, for this transition to be scaled up, it is essential to ensure the availability of charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles, located near coach terminals,” he concluded.

“The entry into service of Portugal’s second 100% electric long-distance coach demonstrates that sustainable mobility is gaining momentum. On the route between Lisbon and Porto, one of the country’s busiest road corridors, this project helps to reduce emissions and bolsters confidence in the electrification of passenger transport. At EDP, we believe that collaboration between companies will be key to accelerating the decarbonisation of transport and making these kinds of solutions an increasingly common part of everyday life for the Portuguese people,” says Gonçalo Castelo Branco, Director of Electric Mobility at EDP.