This document discusses the past, present, and future of trolleybus systems around the world. It notes that trolleybuses still operate in 370 cities across 47 countries, transporting over 40,000 passengers daily. While sometimes seen as outdated, the document argues that trolleybuses can be modernized and integrated with battery technologies. It highlights cities that have successfully maintained their trolleybus networks and considers the environmental and economic factors involved in choices between upgrading trolleybus infrastructure versus transitioning to diesel or electric buses.

1. Trolleybus past or future?
Eric Trel, Brasov, 19 July 2017

2. Europe
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 2
Gdynia, Poland Sofia, Bulgaria Riga, Letland
Luzern, SwitzerlandLimoges, FranceArnhem, Netherlands

3. Rest of the world
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 3
Sao Paolo, BrazilCambridge, Massachusetts, USA Mexico City
Vancouver, Canada Beijing, China Wellington, New Zealand
These cities kept and modernised their trolleybus system

4. Trolleybus wordwide 2017
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 4
370 cities
47 countries
40.000 trolleybuses
30 suppliers
(source: UITP)

5. Trolleybus pros and cons
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 5
• Clean air
• Less noise
• Less expensive than tram
• More flexible than tram
• Popular among the public
• “Outdated”
• “Unreliable”
• More expensive than bus
• Less flexible than bus

6. Outdated? Unreliable?
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 6
• Future: combination of
trolleybus and battery bus
• Example: Shanghai 2017.
Shanghai, China
• Outdated? Not if you see
developments worldwide
and focus on clean air.
• Unreliable? Mostly due to
lack of maintenance.

7. Development of battery buses
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 7
Future
• Charging in depot and at
terminals during the day.
• Next: combined with
hydrogen fuel cells
Opportunity charging
Shenzhen, China
First generation (from 2006)
• Charging at night in the
depot
• Batteries are heavy and
expensive

8. Clean?
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 8
Carbon footprint
• Depends on the energy
source.
• Is electricity generated in
hydro-electric or coal power
plant?
Shenzhen, China, 8am, Feb 2017
Clean air
• EU aims at zero local emission.
• Netherlands: all buses in urban
and regional public transport
will be electric by 2025.

9. Expensive?
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 9
Infrastructure
• Infrastructure for trolleybus
is less expensive than for
tram and more expensive
than for bus.
• If you have already
trolleybus infrastructure,
than future introduction of
battery buses is cheaper.
Fleet
• Trolleybuses have a longer
life than diesel buses
(due to less vibration).

10. Options for investment
(for existing trolleybus systems)
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 10
Option 1 - Do Nothing
• Trolleybus system will deteriorate, services will decline.
• Negative impact on social and economic life.
Option 2 – Modernise trolleybus system
• Invest in infrastructure upgrade and fleet renewal
plus gradual transition to battery buses.
• Positive impact on social and economic life.
Option 3 – Switch to diesel bus
• Dismantle trolleybus infrastructure, invest in new buses.
• Less expenses on the short term. More expenses on the
long term when making the transition to zero emission.

11. Grants, loans and repayment
Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 11
Grants
• EU grants: provided by the
European Regional
Development Fund (ERDF)
and allocated at national
level.
• Cities prepare a Sustainable
Urban Mobility Plan.
Loans and repayment
• Soft loan via e.g. the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD).
• Loan repayment: funded by raising the fares or from the
public budget.

12. Brasov, 19-7-2017 Trolleybus past or future? 12
Thank you for
your attention
Brasov, Romania