eBRT2030: Exploring the Future of Electric Bus Transport Across Europe 

Throughout September and October 2025, the eBRT2030 project has been on the move across Europe, from Italy to Poland and Belgium, sharing insights and showcasing the next generation of electric bus rapid transit systems at key events and forums. 

While showcasing the achievements of the project, project partners and UITP experts engaged audiences at European Mobility Week, Busworld Europe and the Zero Emission Bus Conference, highlighting how cities can accelerate the transition to efficient, clean and high-capacity electric mobility. 

Cagliari: European Mobility Week 

In mid-September, during European Mobility Week in Cagliari, Italy, the eBRT2030 project was presented to local stakeholders and the public by the project manager, Flavio Grazian. The presentation introduced the project’s goals and demonstrated how eBRT concepts can support medium-sized cities by developing clean, high-capacity transport solutions that connect seamlessly with other sustainable modes of transport. 

The event helped raise awareness of how electric bus rapid transit systems can combine the strengths of flexibility, capacity and environmental performance, making them a practical alternative for cities at different stages of electrification. 

Poland: Innovation in Motion 

Following Caligari but also during European Mobility Week, a workshop was organized by trolley:motion in Gdynia and Sopot, Poland, as part of the eBRT2030 project. Over two days, international experts, local operators and project partners exchanged insights on how to make urban mobility both more efficient and reliable while reducing emissions. 

The programme included group discussions, a visit to Gdynia’s trolleybus depot and planning exercises linking transport innovation with sustainable city development. A central theme of the workshop was addressing the needs of many European cities, which continue to look for the technology that best suits their local context, whether that is a battery bus, tram or another electric solution. 

Innovations such as the In Motion Charging (IMC) trolleybus offer new possibilities. By combining overhead line infrastructure on main corridors with battery operations in sensitive areas, IMC systems demonstrate strong operational flexibility and efficiency. Cities such as  and Prague and Rimini have already shown that this concept works in practice also for electric BRT systems Some of its advantages include high system efficiency, scalability and dependable energy performance even under challenging conditions. 

One highlight of the workshop was a collaborative exercise on “IMC BRT in Utopia City,” where participants designed a model urban transport system that placed eBRT at the heart of mobility and city growth. Alongside technical planning, teams also explored communication strategies to build public acceptance for sustainable public transport. 

The workshop was complemented by a presentation from Flavio Grazian, Project Manager for eBRT2030, at the EuroTrans event in Sopot dedicated to the circular economy in public transport. In his presentation “Public transport and circular economy: market and project experience,” he discussed how electric bus systems can contribute to a circular approach by optimising resource use, extending vehicle lifecycles and reducing environmental impact through energy-efficient design and operation. 

Busworld Europe: Demonstrations from Barcelona and Athens 

At Busworld Europe in Brussels, project partners TMB (Barcelona) and OASA (Athens) presented the two eBRT2030 demonstration sites during the Busworld Congress session “Authorities: Improving efficiency and image via the implementation of eBRT systems” on October 6th. 

Their presentations showed how eBRT2030 is turning research into real-world solutions, helping cities test and refine new approaches to vehicle technology, network design and passenger experience. The session also reflected on how cooperation between authorities and operators is driving innovation in the zero-emission bus sector. 

Zero Emission Bus Conference: UITP’s Perspective 

On October 8th, Arno Kerkhof, Head of the Bus Unit at UITP, underlined the goals and achievements eBRT2030 project during his presentation at the Zero Emission Bus Conference in the session “Organisational Change and Real-World Performance of Zero Emission Buses.” 

Specifically, he highlighted how eBRT2030 supports cities in translating technological progress into organisational transformation. His remarks emphasized  that success in zero emission mobility depends as much on institutional coordination and planning as on vehicle and infrastructure technology. 

A collective effort for sustainable mobility 

The discussions held in Italy, Poland, Belgium and indeed across the globe reinforced a shared understanding, that being, “the transition to clean, high-capacity transport is not only a technological shift but a strategic one.” 

Through the eBRT2030 project, cities, operators and manufacturers are building a common innovative framework for the next generation of electric public transport.