Introducing electric vehicles for public transport

Basic Information

Mobility solution ID

RET 7.1

Timeline

- complete

Status

ongoing

Summary

Rethymno is introducing the first clean vehicles into its municipal and PT fleets, including an electric car and a mini e-bus.

Implementing sustainable mobility

Rethymno launched the first public e-vehicles in the region, including one electric mini bus and one electric car, and by doing so aims to promote electromobility to citizens and visitors.

The e-bus, accessible to people with disabilities, operates a new pilot circular route to connect the city center with the beach and Public Transport station, serving both citizens and tourists. The municipal e-car is used by the Technical Services department of the Municipality, operating also as a moving advert promoting clean vehicles and e-mobility.

The main objectives of the measure are to:

  • increase awareness for electromobility and electric vehicles demand.
  • increase use of clean fuelled vehicles in the public transport fleets.
  • reduce CO2 emissions in the city centre.
  • reduce private cars/taxi circulation, launching a new circular route in the city center.

The measure includes:

  • Procurement of one e-car for the municipal fleet, to serve the Municipal Services operations and as a moving promotion of EVs.
  • Leasing one mini e-bus to operate new circular routes to serve both citizens’ and tourists’ needs.
  • Promotional campaign to promote electromobility and the use of the e-bus.
  • Attractive and informative signage of the route stops and of the e-vehicles.
  • Users’ satisfaction survey.
  • Business model to keep the new route self-sustaining and identify replication potential in more routes/services/areas.

Progress

The activities implemented so far are:

  • Market research and procurement fulfilment for i) a municipal e-car procurement ii) leasing one mini e-bus iii) the e-bus driver subcontract.
  • Design of new circular routes to link the historic centre with the beach and the PT terminal station; consultations with PT operator, taxi association and tourism stakeholders; the defined e-bus route was approved by the Municipal Council.
  • Fulfilment of the licensing procedures and circulation approval by the competent Ministry.
  • Launch the e-bus operation in July 2019, with the collaboration of the PT operator, to ensure sustainability after the end of the project.
  • Design of attractive and promotional signage for i) the municipal e-car, ii) the e-bus labelling, iii) the bus stop and informational signs of the new route.
  • Campaign promoting electromobility and the use of the e-bus including e-vehicles test drives, e-cars exhibition, promotional material (leaflets, postcards) developed and distributed to hotels, Public Transport Station, touristic offices and relevant associations.
  •  Launching event for the new e-bus by the Minister of Transport, the General Secretary of Spatial Planning and Urban Environment, the Mayor of Rethymno and the Director of the Public Transport operator.
  • Assessment report and users’ satisfaction survey.

Outcomes

The expected outcomes of the measure are:

  • Introduction of clean vehicles to the municipal and PT fleets; one mini e-bus operating by the PT operator and one e-car in circulation to serve the operation of the Municipal Technical Services department.
  • Signage and informative materials to promote e-mobility and the e-bus operation.
  • New seasonal routes serving the city beach and the city centre, contributing to the reduction of private vehicles use, traffic congestion and CO2 emissions.
  • Evaluation of the replication potential in more routes/services/areas.
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