Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) has put its first 100% electric neighbourhood minibus into service on line 185, which runs between Canyelles metro station and Vall d’Hebron. Four more fully electric minibuses will join the service in the coming weeks. It is the first time in the company’s history that TMB is buying electric vehicles for its neighbourhood bus and double-decker services.
What changes for passengers
The four additional minibuses will go to the lines that need them, according to operational requirements. The neighbourhood bus service currently has 22 lines. The new vehicle has a low floor, which gives it the same doors and ramp as TMB’s standard and articulated buses. TMB describes this as a step forward in accessibility, safety and comfort, especially for people with reduced mobility.
The vehicle is the Yutong E7S model:
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 6.97 m long, 2.28 m wide, 2.97 m high |
| Capacity | up to 26 people, including 10 seats |
| Battery | LFP, 176.04 kWh |
| Charging | overnight, at depots |
The tender and its funding
The minibus is the first to arrive from a lot of 5 minibuses included in a tender launched in July 2024 for 23 new battery-electric buses: 18 double-deckers and 5 minibuses. The project has a base budget of €19,239,000 including VAT. Deliveries are scheduled in several phases during 2026. The purchase is financed through the programme contract signed with the Autoritat del Transport Metropolità (ATM). The new vehicles will replace buses that are reaching the end of their service life.
The wider fleet plan
Other electric bus purchases are under way:
- By the end of the year: 24 articulated 18-metre electric buses, awarded to ByD/Castrosua for €18 million.
- In 2027: 20 standard 12-metre electric buses, awarded to Irizar for €10.7 million.
- Tenders published in July: 56 electric buses for 2027, including 19 standard buses worth €10.6 million and 37 articulated buses, 20 for renewal and 17 for expansion, for €29.6 million.
These purchases add to the fleet renewal under the Agenda Bus 2026-2030. In total, TMB will have 372 zero-emission buses, more than 30% of its entire fleet.