Electric, Hydrogen & Hybrid Electric Buses in Ireland

bk · 20-02-2026 05:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124251665#Comment_124251665

Yes though AFAIK they are all pure Diesel, they aren’t doing hybrids anymore either. Same as Wrights, they do a pure Diesel too, but in relatively small numbers, for small bus companies as you say.

if you look at the Volvo website it is very interesting that they now only do pure Diesel chassis or the BEV BZL chassis, they no longer list the old hybrid option, I don’t see mention of the B5LH anywhere!

Looking at the manufacturer’s websites and sales, it looks like hybrids have completely disappeared from the market, I assume replaced by the BEV models.

I don’t think hybrids are a realistic option anymore.

hfjm20 · 22-02-2026 03:43PM

Was on an Electroliner on the E2 earlier to my great surprise. Does anyone have any idea if this allocation will continue indefinitely?

DaBluBoi · 22-02-2026 04:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124256548#Comment_124256548

Pretty sure the Harristown EWs are intended for the E2 and F Spine, so most likely

p_haugh · 22-02-2026 04:24PM

Looks like they all tracked on the E2 at some point today, other than 254&256

dublinman1990 · 22-02-2026 06:10PM

That's great news. Did the bus run on time or did it have any other mechanical issues with it along your route today?

hfjm20 · 22-02-2026 06:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124257157#Comment_124257157

Didn't come up on tfi live, was about 8 mins delayed according to bustimes, screens on both decks weren't displaying any stop information and there were no announcements. Apart from that, great riding experience - no mechanical issues

dublinman1990 · 22-02-2026 06:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124257175#Comment_124257175

Why was it running late according to bus times. The lack of announcements for the stops inside the bus along the route is quite poor form as well.

hfjm20 · 22-02-2026 08:07PM

Not sure why it was running late, just said it was 8 mins delayed on the website. Was also v poor that it wasn't tracking on the tfi live app too

john boye · 22-02-2026 09:20PM

I think new buses can take a while to start appearing on the app.

p_haugh · 23-02-2026 08:03PM

Seems Harristown were just testing their EWs out on the E2 yesterday, they're back to the confines of the 27B today.

GT29 and VG17 (which only operated one trip - the Clonshough-Eden Quay variation) were the only other buses to track on the 27B today it seems.

hfjm20 · 23-02-2026 09:23PM

I imagine the fact that it was they were out on a Sunday means that they're just testing them to eventually put them into service on those routes?

PlatformNine · 05-03-2026 07:11PM

I've read through the updated Sustainable Mobility Policy, and points 6-8 are all about the low/zero emission fleets.

5. Dublin bus fleet: 500 low/zero emission buses by the end of 2027 and 1000 by the end of 2030 of projected ~1500 buses.
6. Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford fleets: 180 by end of 2027 and 300 by end of 2030 of projected ~500 buses.
7. Chargers in Dublin: 350 charging points by end of 2027 and 700 by end of 2030.
8. five additional town services transitioned to zero/emissions. Sligo, Dundalk, and Navan by end of 2027 and then 2 others by 2030.

Truthfully, having looked at all the points, I think a lot of the report is just… odd. There are quite a few points that I don't really think make sense. Many are unambitious, others are too ambitious, etc.

The 2027 milestones for goals 5 and 6 are the really odd ones in that list. As they will likely have been met by the end of this year and exceeded by the end of 2027 (even despite the grid issues). 1000 in Dublin for 2030 I admit is very reasonable though, and I think would be in line with bus replacements and BC rollout. But again 300 In the other cities isn't. The NTA, acording to the BC cork business case wan't 300 low/zero emission buses in Cork alone. Between Galway's depot getting approved for electrification and Tivoli well progressed, I think it's likely we will be closing in on that 300 number by the end of 2027 and hopefully reaching it in 2028.

Point 8 honestly I am interested by. It could be a sign the NTA may be close to setting up a framework for more single-deckers. If so we should hopefully hear news about a new order and/or depot electrifcation sometime this year.

PlatformNine · 05-03-2026 07:19PM

https://www.eplanning.ie/GalwayCity/AppFileRefDetails/2560152/0

BÉ has permission to electrify the Galway bus garage!

Annoying that it took so long, as in an ideal world the chargers should have been installed and in use by this point, but I suppose that is sometimes the nature of our planning system. Eitherway I am happy it was granted permission and not denied.

I am not sure what the turn around will look like from permission to EWDs entering service, but it's good to see and hopefully the timing will work out well with Tivoli depot in Cork progressing too.

p_haugh · 07-03-2026 05:13PM

Harristown has finally put some of their EWs onto the F1 today - 5 tracked on the F1, 2 on the E2 and 3 on the 27b (EW232 was on the E2 earlier in the day)

Electric, Hydrogen & Hybrid Electric Buses in Ireland

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