Italy, 500 e-buses in four lots: Consip tender awarded to 8 OEMs. Karsan everywhere, surprises from TAM and Ebusco

A new contract for 500 battery-powered and fuel cell-powered buses (for the first time) has been awarded by Italian central purchasing body Consip to a total of 8 manufacturers. Such contracts worth a total of 327 million euros. It was issued in May 2023. Consip has awarded late last year the tender for as many as 1,000 e-buses.

Karsan everywhere first time for TAM and Ebusco

And surprises are not lacking. Let’s mention the Slovenian TAM, that is now entering the Italian market with its short vehicles (some 30 units are awaited in Sardinia). TAM has been awarded the first lot together with Karsan, for a total of 150 battery-electric midibuses with a length between 7 and 8 meters.

Coming to the second lot – suburban buses in Class I – the 250 units up for grabs have been awarded to Otokar, Solaris, Iveco, BYD, Karsan (that in the meanwhile has started deliveries in Bologna) and Ebusco. Yes, it’s not a mistake: for the Dutch company, which has set the goal to deliver between 250 and 300 vehicles in the year 2023 (with 121 units registered in the first half of the year) and is facing though time on the stock exchange, it might be the entry in the Italian market.

Let’s get to the third lot. It covers 70 Class II e-buses. BYD, Iveco and still Karsan have been awarded.

Fourth and last lot is the hydrogen one, consisting of 30 FCEVs: Solaris, Karsan and Industria Italiana Autobus.

Two purchase options are provided for administrations:

• in the case of purchasing buses without specific customizations, PAs will be able to place a direct order on the basis of the best technical-economic offer, in relation to price and performance (e.g., consumption, vehicle safety, passenger comfort)
• in the case of the purchase of buses with specific customizations, PAs will be able to relaunch with a specific tender the competitive comparison between the awardees of the Framework Agreement, selecting the supplier with the criterion of the most economically advantageous offer.