On January 22, the President signed the decree on the purchase of electric buses for public transport in Samarkand.
The document notes that in May 2023, Uzbekistan and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development signed a loan agreement for the purchase of electric buses for public transport in Samarkand. The size of the loan is $49 million.
Previously, it was stated that in April of last year that the buses will be supplied by the Chinese company Yutong. It was reported that 6 of the first 100 electric buses will be delivered in the first half of 2023, and the remaining 94 will be delivered by the end of the third quarter. It was reported that EBRD can allocate up to 95 million euros for the purchase of a batch of electric buses, charging stations and other infrastructure facilities for the city of Samarkand.
In the new decree, the cost of the project is estimated at $61.99 million, of which ETTB debt is $49 million, as mentioned above, and Uzbekistan’s share is $12.99 million (including VAT reimbursement, customs benefits, etc.).
The document states that the Yutong company was declared the winner of the international tender and a $29.7 million contract was signed with it for the purchase of 100 electric buses and 50 charging devices.
According to the contract, 6 electric buses and 3 charging devices were delivered in May 2023. According to the new schedule (Appendix 4), another 30 electric buses and 15 charging devices will be delivered in the first quarter of 2024, and the remaining 64 electric buses and 32 charging devices will be delivered in the second quarter of 2024.
The remaining $32.29 million is intended for the reconstruction of the bus shed, which includes a training center for driver training and improvement of their skills, for the maintenance, maintenance and repair of the rolling stock, and the construction of external power supply facilities.
Electric buses will be directly attached to regular routes selected within the project on the basis of a gross contract, as an exception, for a period of 7 years. In this case, the price of routes is formed in the prescribed manner.
The document also provides instructions on the development of projects for the purchase of electric buses for public transport in the city of Nukus and regional centers within two months.
