Prague to buy first hybrid buses, launches tender for 140 vehicles
The main evaluation criterion for this tender is the acquisition value with a weighting of 65%.
Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) is continuing its plans for a major modernization of its bus fleet. For the first time, it is seeking hybrid buses that will combine power from an internal combustion engine with electricity from a battery. It is seeking suppliers of up to 140 articulated buses in a contract with an estimated price of CZK 2.017 billion (EUR 82,7 million)
The winner of the tender will receive a five-year framework contract. The buses must meet the definition of a “clean vehicle” according to the current directives of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. It must be a vehicle that is not only charged while driving but also externally (plug-in). The minimum required warranty is 60 months and the declared lifetime in urban traffic must be at least 12 years.
The contract includes the possibility to supply up to 140 portable chargers for CCS-2 charging. The tender also includes the supply of up to 140 spare traction energy storage units for possible replacement during the lifetime of the vehicle. Buses must be able to run not only on diesel but also on alternative liquid fuels such as hydrogenated vegetable oil.
The transport company wants to select a winner by the end of the year. Unlike in other countries, no European subsidies can be used to buy hybrid buses. The main evaluation criterion for this tender is the acquisition value with a weighting of 65%, fuel consumption or guarantee of fuel savings has a weighting of 18%, the warranty period offered is 7%, the supplier’s experience with hybrid technology is 5%, and the delivery date of the new vehicles also has a weighting of 5%.