EIB backs Qbuzz with €70 million loan for 275 electric buses in the Netherlands

The European Investment Bank has granted a €70 million loan to Qbuzz to support the operation of 275 electric buses and their charging infrastructure in the Dutch province of Zuid-Holland.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has announced a €70 million financing agreement with Dutch public transport operator Qbuzz, owned by Italian Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, to support one of the largest electric bus fleets operating in the Netherlands. According to the EIB, the funding supports 275 battery-electric buses already deployed in the Zuid-Holland Noord regional concession together with the associated charging infrastructure. In the concession, over 100 Yutong e-buses have been procured.

The announcement was made by the EIB on 24 June. In 2023 Qbuzz had also been awarded a concession in Fryslan province.

275 electric buses operating in Zuid-Holland

Qbuzz received the EIB financing alongside an equivalent €70 million package provided by Société Générale, which acted as initial arranger, lessor and senior lender for the project. The investment covers both the electric buses and the installation of high-capacity electrical infrastructure required to connect the operator’s depots to the Dutch electricity grid, according to the EIB.

The financed fleet has replaced diesel buses operating regional services in the Zuid-Holland Noord concession, serving cities including Leiden, Alphen aan den Rijn and Gouda. The electric buses are currently in operation across these routes, while the charging infrastructure forms part of the financed project.

According to the EIB, the project contributes to the availability of zero-emission public transport in the region and forms part of its financing activities supporting sustainable mobility across the European Union. The EIB states that its 2025 operations reached €100 billion in new financing and advisory services across more than 870 projects.

“The ongoing shift to sustainable mobility is not only important from a climate point of view, but very much also from a European energy independence angle.” noted EIB Head of Office Chantal Schrijver. “In the larger framework of the energy transition, Dutch companies and public sector players are doing their bit to make operations environmentally sustainable, and energetically independent. We are here to support that.”

Chief Financial Officer Angelo De Carlo at Qbuzz: “Collaboration has been a key success factor throughout this project. What we are doing in the Netherlands in the transition to emission-free public transport is unique in Europe. Delegations from Belgium, Finland, Norway, the Czech Republic, Germany and outside Europe from Japan, Kenya and India have come to see how we approach this transformation. There is a willingness everywhere to contribute to climate goals through emission-free public transport, which is very encouraging. At the same time, practice shows that making public transport more sustainable is not an easy task. Nevertheless, Qbuzz continues to bring together different stakeholders and work collaboratively to take meaningful steps for our climate”.