RIGA, March 23 (LETA) - Rigas Satiksme municipal public transport company has voiced a wish and has called on producers of electric and hydrogen buses to cooperate in testing environmentally-friendly transport vehicles on different routes in Riga, LETA learned from Rigas Satiksme spokeswoman Baiba Bartasevica-Feldmane.

Rigas Satiksme board member Ingus Rutins said that use of electric buses requires new knowledge and experience that can be obtained by following market development and making practical tests in the city's traffic.

Such test drives provide information about suitability of the transport vehicles for particular routes, charging solutions, etc. The tests should be conducted as a market research for future public procurements.

Scania Cityeide and Mercedes-Benz eCitaro have already offered their buses for tests. They will run the Riga streets in May and July. Rigas Satiksme also is expecting proposals from other producers of electric and hydrogen buses.

"In the coming five to seven years we have to replace at least 255-260 diesel buses. They are outdated, and, most likely, at least a part of the new buses should be electric buses because green components in public transport are mandatory as of 2024," said Rigas Satiksme board chairwoman Dzineta Innusa.

As reported, on February 6-11, Rigas Satiksme tested Solaris Bus & Coach hydrogen buses.