Major city set to transform how its residents commute: ‘This is a win-win situation’

Paving the way toward climate-friendly transportation, Norway is once again making headlines with its ambitious plan to transform the way people commute around its capital city.

The country has already made significant headway in expanding sales of personal electric vehicles, and now the city of Oslo is set to meet an ambitious goal four years early by upgrading almost all of its diesel buses to electric by the end of the year, CleanTechnica reported.

As part of a bold emissions reduction plan, the switch to electric buses will help Norway reach its goal of cutting emissions by 95% compared to 2009 levels by the end of the decade, per CleanTechnica.

According to Norway’s emissions reduction plan, these changes in the transportation sector could contribute to more than a 40% cut in polluting gases.

The project includes creating a zero-emissions zone in the heart of the city that will allow only EVs, further encouraging the transition to electric cars. Much of the city’s public transportation has already made the change, including many of its ferries, municipal vehicles, and even the ice machines that maintain local skating rinks, CleanTechnica reports.

Earlier this year, 183 articulated electric buses were delivered to serve popular routes around Oslo, reported CleanTechnica. This provided quieter, more comfortable transportation to about 150,000 commuters each day.

Another 137 buses are expected by the end of the year, bringing Oslo closer to a fully emission-free public transportation system.

“We have just completed deliveries of the largest contract for electric buses in the history of our company,” said Sverre Skaar, managing director of Solaris Norge, the manufacturer of Oslo’s new electric buses, as CleanTechnica quoted.

With reduced fuel and maintenance costs, the new fleet is expected to offset its upfront cost within a decade. “The maintenance is cheaper, it’s also cheaper for the operators … all in all, this is a win-win situation,” Vice-Mayor Sirin Stav told Reuters.

Cities and companies around the globe are making the switch to EVs so that nearby communities can breathe easier with cleaner air and lower costs.

Companies such as Hertz are seeing improved profits after making the switch, and the United States Postal Service is taking advantage of tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act to electrify a new fleet of delivery vehicles.

With more municipalities following Norway’s lead, millions of people could enjoy a quieter, cleaner commute.

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