First Electric Ski Bus In Regular Service: Snow Space Salzburg Sets New Standards For Sustainable Mobility
Snow Space Salzburg is consistently driving forward its sustainability strategy and, in addition to the successful use of HVO fuels, is now also relying on fully electric ski buses. After several years of testing with various e-bus models, the first electric ski bus has been in regular service since this winter season.
Sustainable mobility as the key to CO₂ reduction
In recent years, Snow Space Salzburg has already achieved significant CO₂ reductions through the consistent use of HVO fuels. In particular, CO₂ emissions from slope grooming were reduced from 1,802 to just 356 tons – a savings of around 80%. The switch to HVO also had an impact on ski bus transport: Here, CO₂ emissions were reduced from 329 to 251 tons. HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) is a synthetic diesel fuel obtained from plant residues and has a significantly better CO₂ footprint than conventional diesel. The company is now taking the next step toward climate-friendly mobility and is using a fully electric ski bus for the first time in scheduled service.
"Our goal is to implement sustainable solutions not only on the slopes, but also throughout the entire ski area. The ski buses are a crucial factor in providing guests with an environmentally friendly and convenient journey. That's why we've been testing e-bus models for their practical suitability in the Alpine region for three years. Now the time has come: The first electric ski bus is operating in scheduled service," explains Wolfgang Hettegger, CEO of Snow Space Salzburg.
Area of application and charging technology
The new electric bus will be used on one of the 21 ski bus routes in Flachau, Wagrain, and St. Johann. Thanks to state-of-the-art battery technology, the battery capacity easily lasts for an entire day of skiing – even in winter conditions. The intelligent energy recovery system utilizes braking energy during downhill travel to further optimize the range. The bus is charged overnight directly at the cable car station.
Hermann Häckl, Managing Director of Albus Salzburg Verkehrsbetrieb GmbH, which operates the ski bus service in Flachau, emphasizes the importance of this project: "We put the first electric bus into operation for regular scheduled service in April 2023. Today, we already have 14 electric buses in daily use. This new and environmentally friendly technology is well received by our passengers and our bus drivers. The electric bus is suitable for all applications, such as ski bus service in low temperatures and also for normal scheduled service with high mileage. The electric bus will shape the streetscape in the future. We plan to convert the remaining bus fleet of 75 buses to electric buses by 2029. By then, the electric bus will also be an integral part of the ski bus service ," concludes Managing Director Häckl.
More comfort for guests – fewer emissions for the region
The ski buses at Snow Space Salzburg offer many guests a convenient way to get to the valley stations quickly and comfortably – and they're free with a valid ski pass. Thanks to the new electric bus, sustainable mobility is being further expanded.
"Guests who don't live directly on the slopes can leave their cars at home for the entire ski holiday and take the ski buses to the nearest valley station. This not only reduces private transport but also saves CO₂ emissions. Our goal is to make the ski area even more climate-friendly in the long term ," says Hettegger.
Snow Space Salzburg remains true to its strategy of using innovative technologies for a sustainable future. The first electric ski bus is another milestone on the path to becoming a climate-neutral ski area – with the clear goal of putting even more emission-free ski buses into operation in the future.
