E-GAP presents its solution at Busworld 2025: Fleet-as-a-Service as a turnkey model for fleet electrification

This content belongs to the series Busworld Spotlight, offering a dedicated space to companies presenting their vision, products, strategies and innovative solutions in the run-up to Busworld Europe 2025, from October 4–9 in Brussels, Belgium – and beyond.
This article is authored by E-GAP, that will exhibit in Hall 11, Stand 1225

The Fleet-as-a-Service model is emerging as a turnkey solution for the electrification of local public transport. It represents an opportunity to accelerate the decarbonization of the mobility sector without immobilizing capital, with measurable returns in terms of sustainability, efficiency, and bankability.

FaaS is an operating model that enables public transport operators to adopt electric fleets and charging infrastructure without bearing the initial investment. In fact, E-GAP covers that entire investment, which is converted into a periodic, flexible and personalized fee. Such approach transforms the direct purchase of capital goods into a service contract, reducing balance sheet impact and improving cost predictability.

The Fleet-as-a-Service model addresses the need to accelerate the energy transition of local public transport, which is currently hindered by specific constraints: the high cost of electric vehicles, limited access to credit, lack of expertise in designing and managing charging systems, and the complexity of integrating heterogeneous technological components.

Electrifying public transport is now a priority for local authorities, driven by increasingly strict regulations (Clean Vehicles Directive, Fit for 55, AFIR), but hampered by systemic obstacles: high entry costs, lack of technical and financial resources, and difficulties in integrating different technological components. In Italy, where more than 50% of buses are over 10 years old and less than 2% of the fleet is electric, FaaS offers a practical solution to launch decarbonization pathways in the short term, with measurable benefits both environmentally and economically.

A sustainable and replicable model: from CAPEX to energy value

The Fleet-as-a-Service model allows the replacement of direct investment in vehicles and infrastructure (CAPEX) with a long-term operational service. All functional components—electric buses, charging facilities, energy supply, maintenance, digital management systems and tailor-made value-added services —are provided and managed by a specialized operator, who retains ownership and ensures performance.

Centralized and integrated management guarantees high uptime, verifiable KPIs, and a single point of accountability for the entire service lifecycle. The public concessionaire accesses the service through a fee, reducing financial exposure and operational risk.

The cash flows generated by the contract—stable, recurring, and long-term (8–15 years)—offer a profile suitable for the involvement of infrastructure funds, green bonds, and investment vehicles with environmental or social objectives.

Economic sustainability is ensured by economies of scale and a lower Total Cost of Ownership compared to traditional solutions. Despite an initial purchase cost a bit higher than a diesel bus, electric vehicles deliver lower operating costs—especially in terms of energy consumption and maintenance—and higher residual value at end of life, resulting in net savings over the contractual period.

Energy supply can be secured through long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), either indexed or at a fixed price, with certified renewable sources (Guarantees of Origin, GO). This solution reduces price risk exposure, ensures environmental traceability of consumption, and contributes to decarbonization targets.

When required by operating conditions or connection constraints, infrastructure can be integrated with stationary storage systems (Battery Energy Storage Systems, BESS), designed to shape load curves, reduce grid withdrawal capacity, and guarantee depot operational continuity in the presence of simultaneous charging loads.

The model also enables additional economic returns by monetizing energy and environmental savings through white certificates or carbon credits.

E-GAP’s approach is backed by expertise in battery management

Moreover, thanks to our deep expertise in battery management, we can preserve battery performance over time, extending operational life and ensuring that each battery delivers its maximum potential. This approach guarantees greater efficiency, reliability, and sustainability for fleet operators.

First, it ensures a longer battery lifecycle, maximizing the value of each asset and optimizing the total cost of ownership.
Second, by optimizing charging cycles and avoiding unnecessary stress on batteries, it contributes to smoother and more distributed charging patterns. This reduces peak demand on the grid and therefore helps mitigate potential bottlenecks, limiting the need for costly infrastructure upgrades.
Finally, it leads to lower energy costs and a reduced environmental footprint, supporting operators in achieving both economic efficiency and sustainability goals.

The Rome case: first large-scale application in Italy

Confirming the technical and financial solidity of the model, the first Italian Fleet-as-a-Service project was launched by E-GAP in Rome, where over 250 electric buses enter service in the Rome East and Rome West areas. The initiative includes more than 100 high-power Points of Charge (PoC), ensuring fast charging fully powered by certified renewable energy.

To make this cutting-edge project possible, a total investment of approximately €100 million has been made. The equity component was guaranteed by Green Arrow Infrastructure of the Future Fund (GAIF). The initiative is also supported by a pool of leading international banks (BayernLB e Banco BPM), which have structured a loan (including credit lines for operators), covered by a SACE guarantee.

This strong financial framework is what enables operators to access the project without initial investments, benefiting from a turnkey modular solution that integrates all the activities necessary for fleet electrification—from the supply of electric vehicles to charging infrastructure, maintenance services, and smart fleet management—while significantly reducing costs and fully meeting public ESG requirements.

This pioneering project demonstrates how FaaS can simplify and accelerate the transition to electric mobility, setting a new standard for sustainable urban transport in Italy and beyond.