Zhytomyr is strengthening its electric public transport fleet

Trolleybuses in Zhytomyr; photo: Alltransua portal, by POMARANCH

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved the city of Zhytomyr's intention to announce a tender for the purchase of trolleybuses with a power reserve, electric buses and related equipment. The total project cost is EUR 17 million and includes a EUR 10 million loan, EUR 6 million in grant assistance from the EBRD SSF (Special Shareholders Fund) and CTF (Clean Technology Fund), and EUR 1 million in co-financing from the city.

According to the EBRD announcement, the city plans to purchase energy-efficient and low-floor autonomously powered trolleybuses, electric buses, charging stations and maintenance equipment. The technical requirements and specifications are currently unknown. The announcement mentions the city's intention to open four new trolleybus routes and two ‘electric bus routes’.

According to the EBRD's website, the project will contribute to increasing the level of barrier-free access by improving access to one of the city's most important services that supports people's livelihoods. The project will improve access for women and children, as well as people with disabilities, the elderly and other people with reduced mobility. As part of the project, the Zhytomyr Tram and Trolleybus Management Company will significantly increase the number of low-floor trolleybuses, which will help people with disabilities overcome difficulties with transport accessibility and increase the number of their movements around the city.

The mayor of Zhytomyr, Sergii Sukhomlyn, announced his intention to upgrade the rolling stock back in September 2023. According to him, the purchase of battery trolleybuses and electric buses is necessary to open new routes without the need to build a contact network.

The first and only electric bus in Ukraine, Electron E19101. Photo: Volodymyr Karaim

The announcement does not explain why the city plans to purchase electric buses when it has a trolleybus network. The NGO Vision Zero points out that the experience of dozens of cities in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, and other countries shows that cities with trolleybus systems should invest in battery (hybrid) trolleybuses rather than battery buses. 

‘A battery trolleybus has several key advantages over a battery bus. A bus can run for several hours and then need to be recharged at a depot for a long time, while a battery trolleybus is charged while on the move on the route and can run all day. Energy efficiency: the batteries in the bus have a large mass and volume, so a significant part of the energy and space is spent on transporting the batteries, not passengers. Economy: hybrid trolleybuses are dynamically charged through current collectors, so they do not require additional expensive infrastructure such as charging stations. In general, battery trolleybuses are much cheaper to purchase and operate,’ comments Viktor Zagreba, Chairman of the Board of the NGO Vision Zero.

The trolleybus system of Zhytomyr has 101.6 kilometres of contact network and 11 routes. As of 01.01.2021, the ME had 159 trolleybuses and 25 trams on its balance sheet. As of 2024, Zhytomyr's tram network has one route, which is usually served by six units of old trams.

According to the NGO Vision Zero, in 2016-2025, only one electric bus was operated by Ukrainian municipal enterprises. This is an experimental Electron E19101 built in Lviv at the Electronmash enterprise in 2015. There have also been isolated cases of test vehicles from China in Ukraine. Battery trolleybuses are widespread in Ukraine, with Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kremenchuk, and Chernihiv being the leaders in their use. Lviv is working on expanding its fleet of battery trolleybuses. Such trolleybuses are designed and manufactured in Ukraine by Politechnoservice, Electronmash, and Chernihiv Automobile Plant (Etalon trademark).

Background: the EECU library has educational materials in Ukrainian on battery trolleybuses and battery buses: The article ‘Trolleybus is the best electric bus’; Overview of the experience of the city of Solingen (Germany); Presentation on dynamic charging buses (trolleybuses) in Prague; Overview of the EU electric bus market in 2023.