By 2030 the entirety of the public transport network in Lausanne will be electric, authorities have confirmed. The capital of Canton Vaud plans to replace all of its diesel buses by the end of the decade, to help align with the city’s climate goals.

100 percent electric public transport is coming to Lausanne

In a statement, Transports publics de la région lausannoise (TL) confirmed that the entire public transport network will run on electric power by 2030. With the exception of a few minibuses, 162 diesel buses will be replaced by electric ones in the next five years.

Today, 75 percent of the 126 million passengers transported by TL every year are carried by electric vehicles, be they buses, trolleybuses or the metro. "The company intends to increase this figure to 100 percent by 2030,” the statement read, with costs estimated at 130 million francs.

Lausanne aims for CO2-neutral transport

Speaking to Swissinfo, the municipal councillor in charge of mobility Florence Germond noted that drivers and public transport contribute around a quarter of Lausanne’s carbon emissions. “The city is aiming for zero direct emissions from mobility by 2030. The decarbonisation of the TL fleet will enable us to make progress towards this objective,” she explained.

Along with being better for the environment, TL noted that the elimination of diesel buses will improve the quality of life in Lausanne, thanks to “improved air quality and a reduction in the noise currently caused by combustion engines.” The announcement puts the city ahead of goals set by the Swiss Association of Public Transport, which has pushed for completely CO2-neutral public transport by 2040.

How will TL decarbonise?

Nevertheless, TL described the technical challenges associated with the shift as “numerous but clearly identified.” The transition will be made possible by using recharging electric buses - which charge when parked at a terminal station or depot - and by expanding the city’s 92-year-old trollybus network.

Second is the matter of energy: while just 1,9 percent of domestic power production in Switzerland comes from fossil fuels, around two-thirds of the energy used in the country is imported, with the majority coming from non-renewable sources. Therefore, TL plans to construct solar panels on its buildings and increase energy efficiency to serve its heightened need for power.

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