Market Trends of Bus Pantograph Charger Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Bus Pantograph Charger Market according to our research experts:
Rising Emphasis of Government on Eco-Friendly Buses
Diesel buses are widely used today all over the world. Furthermore, these buses are mostly used in densely populated cities, where air quality has already been degraded by other pollutants. As a result, governments across the world are focusing on developing a variety of regulations and supportive policies aimed at encouraging environmentally friendly transportation.
The EPA and NHTSA in the United States proposed implementing the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) vehicles rule from 2021 to 2026. The rule may establish corporate average fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for passenger and commercial vehicles. OEMs are required to sell a certain number of clean and zero-emission vehicles (electric, hybrid, and fuel cell-powered commercial and passenger vehicles) under the Zero-emission Vehicles (ZEV) Program. The country's ZEV plan aims to put 12 million ZEVs (including buses) on the road by 2030.
The Indian government intends to electrify 30% of total vehicle sales by 2030. As part of this strategy, the government announced a USD 1.4 billion investment in phase two of the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) program through 2022. This phase focuses on electrifying public and shared transportation in India by subsidizing 7090 electric buses. This has prompted fleet operators to switch to electric buses.
Moreover, by improving air quality, public transportation contributes to the sustainability of a city in dense urban areas, reducing the need for multiple separate trips by private vehicle. Because of these advantages, governments around the world are actively promoting sustainable and efficient public bus transportation services, which are expected to create positive momentum in the market. For instance,
- In November 2022, Metroline, a potential London bus operator, announced the purchase of 39 electric double-decker buses for intercity transit. Wrightbius, a Northern Irish bus manufacturer, procured these buses. These 39 buses are expected to travel through the London boroughs of Brent, Ealing, Harrow, and Barnet, as well as Watford in Hertfordshire, north of London, on the 297 and 142 routes. The buses have charging capabilities of up to 300 kW via CCS or 420 kW via pantographs.
- In March 2022, a cutting-edge electric bus concept was unveiled in Cagliari, Italy, where bus manufacturer Rampini delivered the first of seven vehicles ordered. The delivery consists of six 6-meter battery-electric buses with pantographs. This new technology in European buses has been identified, and it has generated a lot of interest in the medium term.
North America Likely to Have Fastest Growth in the Market
North America is expected to play a key role in the growth of the market over the forecast period. Furthermore, the United States is likely to be one of the major contributors to growth in the region, owing to several government initiatives and the growing popularity of electric school buses across the country. The demand for electric buses across the North American region is anticipated to be supported by the growing adoption of governments, municipalities, etc. For instance,
- In June 2021, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) announced the completion of a USD 30 million agreement to install 67 pantograph chargers across various stations in the city to charge the city's electric bus fleet.
- In March 2021, the Montgomery County Public School system in Maryland approved a contract with Highland Electric Transportation to convert its school bus fleet to a fully electric fleet, beginning with converting 326 school buses through 2025. Based on the contract, Highland Electric Transportation and its partners, Thomas Built Buses, Proterra, and American Bus, will electrify all five bus depots belonging to the Montgomery County Public School district and supply electric buses and charging infrastructure.
Moreover, with the increasing transition to electric mobility, the Canadian government is also working to build a net-zero emissions transportation industry across the country. For instance,
- In March 2021, the Infrastructure and Communities Ministry and the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Industry announced CAD 2.75 billion (~USD 2.02 billion) in funding over five years, beginning in 2021, to improve public transportation systems and transition them to cleaner electrical power, including funding for the purchase of zero-emission public transportation and school buses.
Such active growth in the North American region is encouraging several key players and the players in electric bus infrastructure projects to adopt pantographs, thus driving demand for bus pantograph chargers over the forecast period. For instance,
- In March 2022, ABB announced that it is offering its services to St. Louis's new electric bus fleet with the largest deployment of chargers in the United States. ABB's sequential charging system consists of 20 plug-in depot chargers with 150 kW of power and three additional pantograph chargers.
Therefore, based on the above-mentioned developments and instances, it is estimated that the North American region is likely to have the fastest growth compared to its counterparts over the forecast period.
