KVG completes electrification of second depot in Kiel. 120 e-buses will be in operation by spring 2026
Kiel public transport operator Kieler Verkehrsgesellschaft (KVG) announces it has completed the electrification of its second depot at Diedrichstraße, installing 43 charging points to support the next generation of fully electric buses. This milestone complements previous investments at ten city termini and the Werftstraße depot, further enabling KVG to operate its entire network with electric […]
Kiel public transport operator Kieler Verkehrsgesellschaft (KVG) announces it has completed the electrification of its second depot at Diedrichstraße, installing 43 charging points to support the next generation of fully electric buses. This milestone complements previous investments at ten city termini and the Werftstraße depot, further enabling KVG to operate its entire network with electric vehicles.
Currently, 70 fully electric buses are already running on Kiel streets. They are all VDL: the first tender was awarded already in 2019. By spring 2026, an additional 50 VDL buses (ordered in 2023), along with 2 electric minibuses from Wisdom, will join the fleet.
120 electric buses will be operating in Kiel
Work on the 43 charging points began in March 2024, conducted within the operational depot. The project involved the installation of 20 deep foundation piles supporting a traverse structure to mount the charging canopies, optimizing the use of open space.
The new charging stations and buses were funded under the “Richtlinie zur Förderung von Bussen mit alternativen Antrieben im Personenverkehr” by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV). Funding also came through the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP) via the European Recovery and Resilience Facility (ARF) as part of NextGenerationEU, coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Projektträger Jülich (PtJ), the operator points out.
The project also includes the electrification of Botanischer Garten (CAU), as well as termini at Schilksee Olympiazentrum and Roskilder Weg (Mettenhof), and the industrial depot at StrandOrt in Friedrichsort, all prepared to accommodate the 50 incoming electric buses in 2025/2026.
“With the electrification of our Diedrichstraße depot and the other sites, we now have the ability to operate public transport on all KVG lines with fully electric vehicles”, states Andreas Schulz, CEO of KVG.
“The funding enables us to efficiently expand the charging infrastructure and the fleet, and to advance electromobility in public transport in Kiel”, adds Susanne Henckel, State Secretary, Ministry of Transport SH
