Electric Bus Market by Propulsion (BEV, FCEV), Battery (LFP, NMC, NCA), Length (<9, 9-14, >14m), Battery Capacity (=400 & >400kWh), Application, Seating Capacity, Range, Power Output, Autonomy Level, Component, Consumer and Region - Global Forecast to 203

The electric bus market is projected to grow from USD 23.80 billion in 2025 to USD 59.60 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 14.0%. The global electric bus market is experiencing consistent growth, driven by government support and significant technological advancements. Improvements in battery energy density and charging speeds address concerns like range anxiety and allow electric buses to match the operational performance of diesel fleets. Developing advanced battery management systems and adopting LFP battery chemistry enhances safety, longevity, and efficiency. Additionally, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is one of the critical factors driving the demand for electric buses as they have lower fuel and maintenance costs over the vehicle's lifecycle.

“The government sector is estimated to generate the largest demand for electric buses in 2025.”

Electric buses are poised to have significant applications in the government sector, primarily through public transit fleets, due to large-scale subsidies and mandates that enable widespread deployment for urban and intercity routes. National and city-level governments actively push local transport authorities to procure electric buses through subsidies, binding regulations, and fleet replacement mandates. For instance, China's government has subsidized electric bus fleets in Shenzhen, resulting in over 16,000 public e-buses operated by municipal companies like Shenzhen Bus Group. In India, the FAME-II scheme provides ₹20-40 lakh subsidies per e-bus for state transport undertakings, leading to 7,120 public e-buses procured for municipal fleets like BEST in Mumbai, targeting 50,000 e-buses nationwide by 2027. The US Federal Transit Administration's USD 1.7 billion allocation under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has funded over 1,300 zero-emission public transit buses, as seen in Beaverton School District's 28 e-school buses, covering 70% of Oregon's public-school electric bus fleet. In Europe, the EU's Clean Bus Deployment Initiative has driven 7,779 e-bus registrations in 2024 for public operators like Hochbahn in Hamburg, with subsidies for zero-emission fleets achieving 100% electrification targets by 2030.

In contrast, private sector applications, such as corporate shuttles or delivery fleets, remain niche but lag due to higher upfront costs without equivalent government support. Private companies in the Netherlands operate public buses under government contracts; the scale and funding favor government-led initiatives, with private adoption limited to specialized uses like airport shuttles, where e-buses save USD 125,000 in maintenance over diesel counterparts but require custom infrastructure.

“The fuel cell electric bus market is projected to witness a positive growth rate during the forecast period.”

Fuel-cell electric buses (FCEVs) are gaining attention as a counterpart to battery electric buses (BEVs), especially for longer routes and regions with limited charging infrastructure. According to an electric bus magazine, in Europe, registrations of FCEV buses increased from 207 in 2023 to 378 in 2024, an 82% jump, yet they still represent only about 4.6% of zero-emission buses.

Major supply contracts related to FCEV buses include the public transport company (TPER) in Bologna, Italy, placing an order for 130 Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen buses in late 2023, with deliveries planned from 2026. In the UK, Liverpool city introduced 20 Alexander Dennis Enviro400FCEVs in 2023, while Wrightbus (UK) delivered its Hydroliner FCEV double-decker buses to Cologne in 2024. In Asia, Hyundai’s Elec City FCEV has been commercially available since 2019 and has surpassed 1,000-unit sales in South Korea by September 2024. In India, the first hydrogen fuel-cell bus entered service in Ladakh in early 2025, marking an important milestone in challenging terrain.

The benefits of fuel cell buses compared to BEVs lie in their fast-refueling times and extended driving range, which make them better suited for intercity and regional services. However, FCEVs are less energy efficient, converting only 60 to 70% of energy compared to 85 to 90% for BEVs. These buses are also twice to three times as expensive as BEV buses. A 2023 study in Bolzano, Italy, found that the running costs of FCEBs were more than twice those of battery buses, primarily due to hydrogen production, distribution, and fueling infrastructure costs. This cost gap explains why only governments and public transport agencies opt for FCEVs rather than private operators.

“North America is projected to be one of the major electric bus markets.”

North America, particularly the US and Canada, is emerging as one of the most important markets for electric buses during the forecast period. In the US, the electric school bus segment is leading the transition from diesel to electric buses. This is backed by the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, which is providing USD 5 billion in funding till 2026 to support the replacement of diesel school buses with electric alternatives. By late 2024, the EPA had awarded grants for nearly 12,000 electric school buses across 1,000 school districts, making it the region's most significant single driver of demand. Transit agencies are also improving adoption, supported by the Federal Transit Administration’s Low-No Emission Vehicle Program (Low-No Program), which allocated USD 1.7 billion in 2023 and is expected to continue distributing funds through 2025 for zero-emission transit buses and charging infrastructure.

Canada is following a similar path, with the Zero Emission Transit Fund (ZETF) providing USD 2 billion in support till 2026 to help municipalities procure electric transit buses and build charging facilities. As of 2024, more than 700 electric buses have been sold in Canada, which is expected to increase further in 2025. These federal and state-level incentives are positioning the US and Canada as leaders in e-bus adoption in North America. While China and Europe still dominate in overall sales of electric buses, North America’s focus on electrifying both school buses is a unique regional characteristic.

The break-up of the profile of primary participants in the electric bus market is as follows:

• By Company Type: Electric Bus OEM – 90%, Tier 1 – 10%
• By Designation: C Level – 60%, Director-level – 30%, Others - 10%
• By Region: North America– 10%, Europe – 40%, Asia Pacific – 50%

Prominent companies include BYD Company Ltd. (China), Yutong Co., Ltd. (China), Xiamen King Long (China), CRRC Corporation Limited (China), and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (China), which are the leading manufacturers of electric buses in the global market.

Research Coverage:

The study segments the electric bus market and forecasts the market size based on propulsion (BEVs, FCEVs), range (up to 300 miles, above 300 miles), the length of the bus (less than 9 m, 9-14 m, more than 14m), consumer (private, government), application (transit buses, coaches, school buses, and others), battery capacity (up to 400 kWh, Above 400 kWh), component (motors, batteries, fuel cell stacks, battery management systems, battery cooling systems, DC-DC converters, inverters, AC/DC chargers, EV connectors), the level of autonomy (semi-autonomous, autonomous), power output (up to 250 kW, above 250 kW), seating capacity (up to 40 seats, 40-70 seats, above 70 seats), by GVW (Up to 10 tonnes, 10 to 20 tonnes and above 20 tonnes), and region (Asia Pacific, North America, Middle East & Africa [MEA], Europe, and Latin America). This report covers the competitive analysis of upcoming startups/SMEs in the electric bus market ecosystem.

Reasons to buy this report:

The report will help the market leaders/new entrants with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall electric bus market and the subsegments. The report includes a comprehensive market share analysis, supply chain analysis, extensive lists and insights into component manufacturers, chapter segmentation based on materials, a thorough supply chain analysis, and a competitive landscape. The report also helps stakeholders understand the market pulse and provides information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.

The report provides insights into the following points:

• Analysis of key drivers (rising GHG emissions, government incentives and policies, overall targets to reduce fleet-level emissions and increasing demand for emission-free vehicles), restraints (CNG and biofuel buses slowing the adoption of electric buses, safety concerns in EV batteries and high development cost), opportunities (development of advanced battery technologies, transition towards hydrogen fuel cell electric mobility), and challenges (high cost of developing charging infrastructure) influencing the growth of the electric bus market
• Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights into upcoming technologies, research & development activities, and product & service launches in the electric bus market
• Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets (the report analyzes the electric bus market across varied regions)
• Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products & services, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the electric bus market
• Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, growth strategies, and service offerings of leading players in the electric bus market, such as BYD Company Ltd. (China), Yutong Co., Ltd. (China), Xiamen King Long (China), CRRC Corporation Limited (China), and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (China)

The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the electric bus market by providing them with information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. Show more