Chcem zábavu, dávam elektrickú energiu!

In my hometown of Magdeburg, today’s buses are diesel-powered, but once upon a time, trolleybuses (or “Oberleitungs-Busse”) were a common sight.¹ These electric vehicles disappeared in the 1970s, long before I could experience them firsthand. While Germany currently debates ways to create emissions-free public transport, the option of trolleybuses is rarely considered. Yet, a look at Eastern Europe shows that this technology is still widely and effectively used there, offering valuable lessons for sustainable public transit².

While battery-electric buses are the leading solution in Germany’s zero-emissions discussions, countries like Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic have long embraced trolleybuses. These vehicles draw continuous power from overhead lines, avoiding the technical challenges of battery buses such as charging times and high maintenance demands. According to a study by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), Germany has trolleybuses in only five cities, compared to over 15 in Poland and over ten each in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.³

A major advantage of trolleybuses over battery buses is their efficiency. With a constant power supply, they avoid the charging times and energy transfer losses that battery buses face. Furthermore, they are less dependent on scarce raw materials like lithium and cobalt, which have high environmental extraction and disposal costs. These factors make trolleybuses not only more cost-effective over time but also environmentally friendlier in terms of their entire lifecycle.⁴

However, trolleybuses also come with some downsides. Setting up an overhead line system is costly and lacks flexibility, which can be problematic in cities with frequently changing bus routes. In these cases, battery-electric buses offer greater flexibility, as they do not require a fixed infrastructure. A hybrid model, which uses overhead lines on high-traffic routes and battery-electric power on flexible routes, could be an ideal solution, and such a system is already being tested in Switzerland.⁵

In conclusion, Germany could learn from Eastern European countries when it comes to integrating sustainable public transport systems. The focus on battery-electric buses in Germany may be partially influenced by the domestic industry’s heavy investment in battery technology. Meanwhile, Eastern European countries often rely on trolleybuses, a proven, reliable, and cost-efficient solution in the long term. Perhaps a fresh look at existing technologies could help build a more sustainable and dependable public transport infrastructure in Germany. After all, Germany’s buses could be running on “juice” instead of long charging cycles sooner than expected.⁶

And speaking of Bratislava, a word of advice: if you ever ride a trolleybus there, hold on tight! The drivers seem to match the energy of the buses themselves—swift, sharp, and unapologetically dynamic. It’s not just public transport; it’s an electrifying experience!