Climate and environmental results

Electric buses and boats are Ruter’s most important tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, energy consumption and noise from public transport.

Electric buses in 2020

Ruter had 156 battery-powered electric (hereinafter electric) buses in operation in 2020, of which 41 were phased in during 2020. 99 electric buses run in Oslo, 39 in Romerike and 18 in Asker.

28 June 2020 was the start date for new bus contracts in Asker, Bærum and Vestre Aker.

18 electric regional buses were put into operation on lines in Asker at the bus facility in Slemmestad. 23 electric city buses were also put into operation on lines in Vestre Aker from the Furubakken bus terminal at Bekkestua.

In connection with the start-up of the new contracts, a new charging infrastructure was established at the bus facilities in Slemmestad and at Furubakken at Bekkestua. The facilitation of electrical infrastructures is an investment in the future operation of a large number of electric buses. In connection with the new bus contracts, the remaining buses at the facility at Furubakken and the other bus facilities in Bærum will be electric by 2025.

In 2020, a new contract was signed for bus services in Oslo south with a 96% electric bus fleet. 109 new electric buses will be put into operation on lines in Oslo and Nordre Follo from the bus facility at Rosenholm. The new contract starts in January 2022.

Ruter’s test project for hydrogen buses was completed in October of 2020. The five hydrogen-electric buses associated with the project have operated on scheduled services between Nordre Follo and Oslo since 2012. The buses have filled hydrogen from a separate hydrogen station at the bus facility at Rosenholm. The hydrogen gas was produced with renewable electricity from water in an electrolysis plant connected to the station.

Electrification of boats

During the summer and autumn of 2019, and the winter of 2020, the three Nesodden ferries M/S Kongen, M/S Dronningen and M/S Prinsen were converted to electric operation one by one. All the ferries were electrified by April 2020, and the boat connection from Nesodden to Aker Brygge became fully electric for the first time.

The ferries charge at a charging plug with a capacity of 4 MW at Aker Brygge. The power will be supplied from a substation that was established at an existing historical building at Rådhusbrygge 4 in 2019. This substation will also supply power to the new electric island boats, in addition to being a charging infrastructure for future electric speedboats.

In April 2020, the boat connection Nesodden-Aker Brygge was fully electric for the first time.

Construction of the electric island boats is underway and ready for operation by the start of a new contract on 1 November 2021. A feasibility study shows that the speedboats can run emission-free after the contract with the current operator expires in 2024.

Public transport’s share of motorised journeys

* Ruter has changed the calculation of market shares due to the corona pandemic. Now, only the result from the current year is used to calculate market share.

Ruter’s Results for 2020

Total energy consumption and energy consumption from renewable sources (MWh) for bus, boat, tram and metro

All of Ruter’s areas

Oslo

Viken (Akershus)

Greenhouse gas emissions in tons of CO2 from buses and boats

All of Ruter’s areas

Oslo

Viken (Akershus)

* Nesodden connection and the speedboats

Fuel consumption for Ruter buses, including electric buses

All of Ruter’s areas

Oslo

Viken (Akershus)

NOx

Nitric oxide (NOx) emissions have a negative effect on local air quality. NOx is a chemical compound of oxygen and nitrogen that is toxic to humans, even at low concentrations. NOx is produced by combustion at high temperatures, such as internal combustion engines. NOx is therefore formed by both fossil and renewable fuels, and for both gas and liquid fuels. How much NOx is emitted while driving is determined by the bus’s treatment technology. The treatment technologies are described as Euroclass, where Euroclass VI is the best. It has about 30 times lower NOx emissions than the previous generation of buses.

NOx emissions from Ruter’s buses and boats

All of Ruter’s areas

* New calculation methods starting in 2019 
** Nesodden connection and the speed boats 

Oslo

* New calculation methods starting in 2019
** Missing numbers for the island boats, which will be electric and without NOx emissions as of autumn of 2021

Viken (Akershus)

* New calculation methods starting in 2019 
** Nesodden connection and the speedboats

PM

Particulate matter (or particles) is often referred to as PM (particulate matter), followed by a number indicating the size of the particles in micrometers. Regardless of size, airborne dust poses a health risk. Router emissions of PM2.5 from exhaust will be completely removed when a vehicle becomes electric. The new treatment technology introduced in new buses with Euroclass VI significantly reduces PM emissions.

PM emissions from Ruter’s buses in tons

All of Ruter’s areas

Oslo

Viken (Akershus)