CFL launches first electric buses

On 8 May 2025, CFL's bus depot in the Luxembourg-Bonnevoie area held an official launch ceremony for 12 new electric buses, marking the first phase of an ambitious plan to move towards green and sustainable mobility. The event was attended by Yuriko Backes, Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Jeannot Waringo, Chairman of CFL's Board of Directors, and Marc Wengler, CEO of CFL.

CFL intends to completely replace its bus fleet with electric vehicles by 2030. As early as 2026, 12 more electric buses are planned to be added. As Minister Backes pointed out, the long-term contract between the government and CFL, signed on 31 July 2024, covers the period from 2025 to 2034 and provides a stable basis for investments in sustainable mobility.

The new electric buses - the Mercedes eCitaro models - have an average autonomy of 250 kilometres and offer a tangible environmental benefit. CFL calculates that switching from diesel to these vehicles will reduce CO₂ emissions by 1,651.37 tonnes per year - a figure comparable to the annual emissions of more than 1,000 cars.

The total budget for the project was 7.73 million euros.

The project required serious investments not only in rolling stock, but also in infrastructure:

• 14 charging stations and 2 pantographs have already been installed at the bus depot;
• The staff (about 250 drivers) have been trained in the operation of electric buses;
• CFL is also planning decentralised charging stations on the routes of 10 RGTR bus lines operated by the company.

Sophie Lacour, Director of Passenger Transport at CFL, emphasised that the project combines safety, quality of service and energy efficiency, and the launch of the new generation of buses was a source of professional pride.

The current launch is not the company's first step into electromobility: two electric buses have already been piloted previously. CFL is now moving from pilot solutions to a systemic transformation, in which the buses will be a logical complement to the company's long-standing electrified railway transport - CFL trains have been powered by renewable energy since 2008.