Daimler Buses Italia and STI (Sviluppo Tecnologico Italiano) won a tender issued by regional transport operator TUA Abruzzo in September 2025. The contract was officially awarded on 11 November 2026.
The tender covered two categories of low-floor buses for urban transport, including an option for eight additional vehicles. This includes 18 vehicles with a maximum length of 11 metres and 22 Class I buses with a maximum length of 12.48 metres.
The consortium will also be responsible for planning, constructing and maintaining the associated charging and power supply infrastructure at TUA’s depot in Via Aterno, Pescara.
The contract amounts to €28.04 million, approximately €3.92 million below the original estimated value of €31.97 million. The entire investment project is being funded through fleet renewal and sustainable mobility programmes via two public funding sources: the European Regional Development Fund, provided by the Abruzzo region, and resources allocated under Italy’s National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Mobility, administered by the city of Pescara.
A key focus of the bid evaluation was battery capacity and the resulting range of the vehicles. The new electric buses are intended to complete full daily shifts in scheduled service without requiring intermediate charging en route. This will enable TUA Abruzzo to replace existing diesel buses one-to-one with electric vehicles.
With the commissioning of the 40 new vehicles, the electric bus fleet in the city of Pescara will grow to a total of 60 units. Currently, around 90 buses are deployed in daily urban scheduled services—excluding reserve vehicles and trolleybuses.
“This investment underscores TUA’s commitment to the continuous renewal of its fleet, made possible by the funds provided by the Abruzzo region and the city of Pescara,” said Gabriele De Angelis, President of TUA. “From 2027, we aim to operate urban transport in Pescara without diesel buses, primarily using electric buses and, to a lesser extent, natural gas buses. This is an important step towards a more modern, efficient, and sustainable public transport system for citizens.”
The contract includes not only the procurement of vehicles but also the construction of a charging infrastructure at the Via Aterno site. Canopies for 24 parking spaces will be built and equipped with photovoltaic systems and charging stations. The electrical system will also be designed for a higher connection capacity than required for the first 40 buses, allowing the fleet to be expanded in the future without the need for extensive modifications.
The depot is to include 24 parking spaces covered by solar canopies, equipped with charging equipment and connected to the grid. The project timeline stipulates that execution planning will be completed within 45 days, followed by the necessary technical inspections and an estimated construction period of 180 days. The charging facilities are expected to be operational between April and May 2027, with the delivery of the first buses scheduled between June and July 2027. The exact Daimler models to be supplied have not been disclosed. However, Daimler Buses has announced its new generation of the eCitaro only for 2028.
tuabruzzo.it, autobusweb.com (both in Italian), sustainable-bus.com
