Milan’s Network of Public Transport Going Full Electric by 2030

Location: Milan, Italy

Population: 4,336,121 (metropolitan population)

Climate: Humid subtropical climate

Duration: 2017-2030

Sector: Transport

Funding sources: Public

City networks: C40 and Covenant of Mayors.

Savings: By 2022, 16.000 tons of CO2 saved per year.

Solutions: The Milan Transports Utility’s (ATM) aim, “Full Electric 2030,” intends to convert the whole public transportation network to electric power by 2030.

Multiple benefits: CO2 reduction and an increase of liveability in the city.

Objective – Milan’s Network of Public Transport Going Full Electric by 2030.

Solutions – According to “Full Electric 2030,” in twelve years, the entire fleet of transportation means, including 1,200 electric buses, will be mainly composed of electric vehicles, servicing both the city and the metropolitan area. Eighty-three electric service cars will help transportation, monitor operations, and maintain subway and tram stations. Furthermore, three full-electric hubs will be established with smart electric recharge points, and four current bus depots will be gradually modified to accommodate the new buses. ATM has also switched to a new electricity provider that only supplies certified renewable energy to ensure that the system is entirely electric.

As part of the electrification of the public transportation network, several novel smart, sustainable technologies will be installed.

Funding – 1,2–1,3 million EUR (= 1,34-1,45 million USD)

Innovation – N/A

Success factors: Many of the municipality’s promises, such as the Sustainable Mobility Urban Plan, are aligned with the efforts to develop green and healthy streets.

Significant outcomes:

• The elimination of diesel from public transportation is expected to result in less pollution, making the air cleaner and roads quieter, and thus improving the city’s liability;
• By the end of 2022, carbon emissions will have decreased by 16,000 tons/year thanks to the purchase of 215 electric buses and 295 hybrid buses;
• By 2030, the Milan Transports Utility fleet will have reduced CO2 emissions by over 75,000 tons/year by replacing diesel cars with electric vehicles.

Synergies with local policies:

• Milan’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) represents an essential change to the city’s mobility and transport policy. It aims to enhance public transport, give value to urban space, and shift the urban mobility focus from private car ownership to a model based on shared mobility services (such as car- and scooter-sharing) across the whole metropolitan area.

Political alignment:

• Italy’s Integrated National and Energy Climate Plan. It intends to increase the share of energy from renewable energy sources in the final gross consumption of energy in the transportation sector by 22% by 2030, among other goals (the base year 2020) (source).
• National Energy Strategy, which has a double time frame (2020 and 2050), directs efforts toward significantly increasing the energy system’s competitiveness and environmental sustainability. The NES establishes indicative long-term goals for 2050. Among the most significant are: A substantial increase in electrification, which will nearly quadruple by 2050, reaching at least 38%, mainly in power and transportation (source).

Marketability: N/A