A major German city is expanding an electric bus depot with new switchgear and DC chargers for 139 vehicles, underlining the scale of grid-ready transit upgrades.
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A large electric bus depot in Cologne is set for a major electrical upgrade, with new switchgear and DC charging systems for 139 parking spaces. The project puts the often unseen power infrastructure at the heart of Europe’s transition to cleaner urban transport.
On 22nd December 2025, Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG published a contract notice for a charging infrastructure expansion at its electric bus depot in Cologne-Porz. The scheme covers both the delivery and installation of low-voltage switchgear and DC charging infrastructure.
The works are designed to serve 139 electric bus parking spaces. That number alone signals a move beyond pilot projects towards high-capacity depots that can support substantial zero-emission fleets. The notice makes clear that the new systems must ensure safe and reliable energy distribution and charging across the site.
By bundling switchgear and charging hardware in a single procurement, the buyer is seeking a coherent electrical backbone rather than piecemeal additions. Low-voltage switchgear will manage and distribute power within the depot, while the DC charging infrastructure will provide the interface with the buses themselves.
Power distribution is emerging as a central theme in public-sector charging projects. Low-voltage switchgear may be less visible than charging masts or cables, but it is critical for controlling power flows and protecting equipment and staff. The Cologne-Porz project underlines that electrifying a depot means re‑engineering its internal grid.
Other recent tenders show the same pattern. In July 2025, regiobus Potsdam Mittelmark GmbH launched a contract for charging infrastructure planning at its Stahnsdorf depot. That notice spans transfer stations, transformers, low-voltage distribution, civil engineering and management systems – a reminder that electrical design now sits at the core of bus depot upgrades.
In November 2025, RVK | Regionalverkehr Köln GmbH went to market for electrical systems at a new operating yard for fuel cell and battery‑electric buses. That project bundles medium-voltage fields, transformers, low-voltage distributions, DC chargers and a load management system. The logic is similar: treat the yard as a power system first, a parking area second.
The same connection between charging and wider energy systems appears beyond transport. In October 2025, the Land Schleswig-Holstein issued a tender to plan charging infrastructure at the Düsternbrook government campus, combining an upgraded power supply with the renewal of ageing electrical systems and integration of photovoltaic generation. Electrification projects are becoming catalysts for broader electrical modernisation.
Within this wider landscape, the Cologne-Porz scheme stands out for its scale. Providing infrastructure for 139 electric bus parking spaces places it at the upper end of recent depot projects visible in public tenders.
Elsewhere, public buyers are specifying dozens rather than hundreds of charging positions – still a significant step up from early pilots. In September 2025, Busbetrieb Solothurn Grenchen und Umgebung AG and Regionalverkehr Bern-Solothurn AG launched a procurement for charging infrastructure for 44 electric bus points, with an option for 66 more and an associated maintenance contract. On the Danish island of Bornholm, a notice from Bornholms Regionskommune dated 1st October 2025 covers 20 charging points for electric buses at a site in Rønne, including electrical works, lighting, surveillance cameras and maintenance services.
In Switzerland, the Luzern transport company is planning a phased roll‑out at its Weinbergli site. A contract notice from 17th September 2025 sets out plans for six charging points by December 2026, followed by 25 more by mid‑2027, again with strong emphasis on electrical planning and execution. In Germany, KViP – Kreisverkehrsgesellschaft in Pinneberg mbH is procuring 27 DC charging points and associated infrastructure for battery‑electric buses, while SWU Verkehr GmbH is planning charging for 20 vehicles using a mix of pantograph and plug‑in systems.
Transport decarbonisation goals are also beginning to shape procurement criteria. In July 2025, Transports publics fribourgeois Trafic (TPF TRAFIC) SA published a notice for charging equipment for electric buses. That contract explicitly links new chargers to the decarbonisation of the fleet and references not only technical but also environmental and social standards.
Beyond hardware, many buyers now expect strong integration with existing systems and long‑term support. On the same day as the Cologne-Porz notice, Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe GmbH published a tender for expanding charging infrastructure at its Lindenau bus depot. That project covers multiple chargers, charging hoods, complete wiring, modifications to existing technology and integration with the site’s operations management systems – a comprehensive retrofit, not just an add‑on.
Long‑term performance is a recurring concern. The Aachen‑based Aachener Straßenbahn und Energieversorgungs‑AG, in a notice from 3rd December 2025, is seeking a supplier to plan, design, construct, install and maintain charging infrastructure for up to 27 CCS‑Combo 2 points across two halls, with clear expectations of long‑term functionality and compatibility with future bus expansions. The Swiss procurement for 44 plus 66 optional charging points in the Solothurn and Bern region also builds in a maintenance contract from the outset.
Digital control is another common thread. Verkehrsbetriebe Burgenland GmbH’s July 2025 notice bundles delivery and installation of hardware with the implementation of load management software. The Stahnsdorf and RVK projects both highlight management systems or load management as integral parts of the scope, while KViP’s tender calls for system management components alongside the physical chargers. The ability to balance depot demand with available capacity is becoming a defining requirement.
Several notices hint at a broader reimagining of depots and campuses as energy hubs rather than simple parking or office spaces. Delbus GmbH & Co.KG, for instance, is procuring a photovoltaic system in its charging area, with the aim of supplying energy for workshop operations and an operational service building, and with provisions for future expansion and integration into the existing electrical system.
Outside transport, the construction of a battery cell research production facility in Münster, tendered in December 2025 by NRW.URBAN GmbH & Co.KG, involves extensive electrical systems and technical installations. While different in purpose, it underlines the public sector’s growing role in funding complex electrical infrastructure linked to electrification and storage technologies.
Against this backdrop, the Cologne-Porz depot stands as a clear example of how bus electrification now hinges on robust, depot‑scale electrical engineering. The focus on low-voltage switchgear and DC charging infrastructure for 139 parking spaces shows that the buyer is looking beyond vehicles to the systems that keep them charged and in service.
For suppliers, the notice points to continued demand for integrated packages that can deliver and install both power distribution equipment and vehicle chargers, and coordinate them into a dependable whole. As more depots move to similar scales, expertise in electrical design, safety, and the interface between switchgear and charging technology is likely to become a key differentiator in bids.
The next steps for Cologne-Porz will be the contracting and implementation of the new systems. For observers of the public procurement market, this project is one more sign that the centre of gravity in e‑mobility investment is shifting from vehicles towards the depots, yards and campuses that must provide safe, reliable power at scale.
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