Germany’s Lippe district sees first regional e-bus charging depot enter service with Kempower DC infrastructure

German public transport operator KVG Lippe has opened the first charging depot for regional electric buses in the Lippe district, North Rhine-Westphalia. The new facility in Lage (close to Bielefeld) —completed in just seven months—relies on Kempower’s DC charging technology, supplied by the Finnish manufacturer, as the supplier points out.

The site offers 12 charging points with a total capacity of up to 1,350 kW. The system configuration, which separates the charging station from the power unit, enables dynamic power management, more efficient use of space, and high operational flexibility when charging multiple buses simultaneously.

KVG Lippe to have 39 e-buses in operation

The Lage depot is the first of six charging hubs planned to support KVG Lippe’s upcoming fleet of 39 electric regional buses. The project forms part of a wider strategy to provide a complete, reliable e-mobility infrastructure across the operator’s service area.

The project also includes the development of an intelligent energy management system that shifts charging to time windows with more favorable electricity prices—an approach expected to generate annual savings in the six-figure range.

The time from planning to commissioning was just seven months, enabled by Westfalen Weser Ladeservice’s participation in three Europe-wide tenders covering civil works, transformer stations, and charging infrastructure.

With the commissioning of Lage and five additional depots already under development, KVG Lippe is laying the groundwork for a regional mobility model centered on low-emission operations, benefiting both drivers and passengers.

“The introduction of electric mobility in regional transport is a key step for us. It is impressive how well our team and all our partners have worked together. Without this commitment, implementation would not have been possible in such a short time,” emphasizes Thomas Brosig, Procurist at KVG Lippe.

“With Kempower, we are using a charging infrastructure in regional transport for the first time that combines high performance with flexibility. This enables us to lay the foundation for the reliable, efficient, and future-proof operation of KVG’s electric bus fleet,” says Andreas Stoller, authorized signatory at Westfalen Weser Ladeservice. The project in Lage is a real showcase project for us. We were able to demonstrate that high-performance charging infrastructure can also be implemented quickly, reliably, and future-proof in regional transport”.