The travel company Flixbus removes its only connection in Germany with an electric bus. There have repeatedly been technical problems in the pilot project between Mannheim and Frankfurt, said the coach operator.
There was no local technical support for the vehicle of a Chinese manufacturer. Therefore, trips were canceled again and again, they said. Flixbus think about alternative connections for electric buses in Germany, the spokesman said. However, suitable manufacturers were missing in this country.
Focus on fuel cell or biogas buses
An E-Fernbus must be able to travel with a battery charge ideally 300 to 400 kilometers. "Loading times are usually too long." Currently, the focus is on alternative drives on fuel cell or biogas buses, which could be used from 2020 and 2021, respectively.
In 2013, the German government liberalized the long-distance bus market - among other things, in order to increase competition from Deutsche Bahn. Numerous providers had gone to the start.
In the meantime, Flixbus dominates the market in Germany and has also expanded internationally. The Munich-based company is also active in rail long-distance transport under the Flixtrain brand. Flixbus claims to connect more than 2,000 destinations in 30 countries.
