ZONE Cluster CEO Veronika Erős spoke at New Mobility Congress 2024 on Decarbonizing Municipal Bus Fleets

ZONE Cluster CEO Veronika Erős spoke at New Mobility Congress 2024 on Decarbonizing Municipal Bus Fleets

Veronika Erős, CEO and Cluster Manager of ZONE Cluster, took the stage at the New Mobility Congress 2024, one of Central and Eastern Europe’s largest events for sustainable mobility leaders. Held in Lodz, the Congress attracted key players in the electric vehicle market and experts in green mobility from across the region. Veronika participated in a fireside chat on the Innovation Stage titled “Decarbonizing Municipal Bus Fleets,” alongside Krzysztof Sitko, Operations Director of Ekoenergetyka Serwi, bringing her vast experience in clean transportation to the discussion. 

Challenges and successes 

Veronika shared her insights on Hungary’s track record in deploying zero-emission buses, discussing both the challenges and success stories. Additionally, she outlined the core elements of building a strategic approach to creating a clean municipal bus fleet, addressing the operational, regulatory, and financial factors that cities must consider. She also tackled the ongoing debate on the total cost of ownership (TCO) between hydrogen and electric buses, providing insights based on her direct involvement in Hungary’s initiatives to electrify public transport.  

Krzysztof Sitko contributed his expertise on the technical aspects of supporting e-bus adoption. He discussed how cities should plan and develop the necessary charging infrastructure to support electric bus fleets, whether emerging Megawatt Charging System (MCS) technologies could be applied to e-buses, and why electric buses are gaining more traction compared to fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in Central and Eastern European cities. 

Veronika’s invitation as a speaker at the New Mobility Congress stems from her extensive experience leading Hungary’s transition to clean buses. Currently, as part of her role at the Hungarian Transport Science Institute, she is responsible for coordinating clean and emission-free bus procurement coordination under the EU’s Clean Vehicle Directive. Previously, she was instrumental in the Green Bus Programme, having led the Green Bus Project Office, which implemented the Green Bus Pilot Project to gather valuable experiences in cities and towns in collaboration with relevant PTOs, and launched the first call for proposals. This led to the first batch of battery-electric buses under the Green Bus Programme, helping prepare Hungary for a broader rollout of zero-emission buses. 

ZONE Cluster’s involvement in new mobility transition 

Veronika Erős is one of the founder of ZONE Cluster, which currently focuses on the challenges of the new mobility transition, specifically the regulatory changes related to the transformation of the automotive industry. Additionally, the cluster is involved in supplier development, related education, training, and raising awareness in both domestic and international collaborations to support the new mobility transition. 

Since its founding in 2018, ZONE Cluster has been an active participant in the EIT Urban Mobility KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Community). As a founding member of EIT Urban Mobility, ZONE Cluster is engaged in fostering urban mobility innovations, building startup and scale-up ecosystems, and disseminating best practices and knowledge at a European level.