EIB and Société Générale fund €140 million electric bus fleet in Netherlands to replace diesel buses

The European Investment Bank has provided a €70 million loan to Dutch public transport operator Qbuzz for expanding zero-emission bus services in the province of Zuid-Holland. Société Générale added another €70 million, making the total investment €140 million. The money will replace diesel buses with electric vehicles in cities including Leiden, Alphen aan den Rijn, and Gouda, and will also cover charging facilities and grid connections at bus depots. Qbuzz says the project is one of the most advanced electric public transport rollouts in Europe and has drawn interest from countries like Norway, Germany, Japan, and Kenya. The EIB says the shift supports both climate goals and Europe's energy independence by cutting diesel use. The buses now operate across the Zuid-Holland Noord concession area under provincial direction.