#ZEB2025 @EUZEBconference
2023 Highlights
Highlights
from ZEB 2023
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Save the date!

 

Join us at the Zero Emission Bus Conference @Busworld Europe in Brussels from October 7th to 9th, 2025.

Building on our previous successful editions, we will bring together transport operators & authorities, policymakers, manufacturers, and industry experts to discuss decarbonizing public and private transportation. Ticket sales will be released in due course.

ZEB 2025 is being organised by ERM in partnership with Busworld Foundation. Thanks to this partnership, the 6th edition of the European ZEB Conference will be held at Busworld Europe in October 2025. This will bring considerable mutual benefits to both events: the conferences and the exhibition. All ZEB attendees will have free entrance to the Busworld Europe 2025 exhibition.

The ZEB 2025 programme is designed to give bus and coach operators, public transport authorities, and local policy makers a complete overview of the considerations for deploying zero emission fleets at scale. Building on the feedback from ZEB 2023, ZEB 2025 will offer more in-depth technical content than ever before.

 

Key figures from ZEB 2023:

>400
Audience
>70
Speakers
>50
Operators & Authorities

ZEB 2025

ZEB 2025 will complement the plenary sessions with interactive breakout sessions. Those breakout sessions are expected to facilitate more technical discussions and address key questions about the opportunities and challenges associated with battery and fuel cell buses.

ZEB 2025 is expected to be the biggest edition yet!

We have listened to your feedback from previous editions and the next edition of ZEB will have even more interactive elements including more technical breakout sessions, more live Q&A, a ZEB tour of Busworld and the same great networking opportunities!

Feedback from ZEB 2023

  • 80% rated ZEB as Good or Excellent value for money
  • 95% of attendees were satisfied with the content of the conference
  • “The depth of the talks, and especially the panel discussions, was very good”
  • “It was a great conference/event in all respects… Thanks all for your effort for organising it”
  • “Everything was very well organized”
  • “There were some great networking opportunities, especially the networking dinner.”
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Speakers

Luca Poggi
Luca Poggi, T&E  Luca leads the analytical work on Sustainable Finance at T&E, working to steer global investments towards sustainable activities, for people and nature.
Tim Howgego
Managing Technical Consultant, ERM  Tim has been solving strategic transport policy puzzles since the 1990s. His analysis has been pivotal in the development of British Quality Bus Partnership legislation, accessibility/connectivity planning, and now bus decarbonisation. At ERM, Tim deploys a mix of topic and computational expertise to conceive and manage novel data-driven approaches to help understand and manage strategic transport decarbonisation challenges.
Michel van der Mark
Strategic Program Director, QBuzz With 24 years in public transport, Michel champions sustainability, energy transition, and innovation in zero-emission and autonomous transport. As Strategic Program Director, he has been an early adopter of zero-emission battery and hydrogen projects. Qbuzz operates 1,400 buses, 50% zero-emission, managed by its advanced Zero Emission Ecosystem software which efficiently manages a diverse fleet with multiple brands of buses and chargers, proving to be the optimal solution as operations grow more complex.
Magda Kopczyńska
Director-General for Mobility and Transport within the European Commission, since 01/08/2023 Magda Kopczyńska is the current Director-General for Mobility and Transport in the European Commission. Magda has held various leadership roles in the Commission, from Clean Transport and Sustainable Urban Mobility to Agriculture and Rural Development. Magda's commitment remains focused on driving positive change in Europe's mobility sector.

Become a Sponsor

Do you want to reach out to a targeted audience of transport operators and authorities? Become a sponsor of the 2025 ZEB edition and help make this edition the best ever.

Explore ZEB sponsorship opportunities here
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Thank you for the great organisation of the ZEB Conference and your support

Caroline Blauvac, Messer

Thanks for the preparation and discussions around the panel yesterday (…) some interesting topics either side of the panel

Fraser McGregor, Siemens Financial Services

Excellent quality of speakers. Excellent networking opportunities

Lionel Boillot, Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Perfect event from our side. Hope to be part of it with you again next time

Francois Vauxion, RATP

Great added value of the combination between the conference and Busworld. I enjoyed all panels and liked the set-up of having a conversation instead of listening to presentations

Gerard Hellburg, Vervoerregio Amsterdam

Thank you very much on behalf of the whole Flix team! We appreciate the great organisation and collaboration. The event was a great success

Daniel Zellinger, Flixbus

It was great to see all stakeholders in the Zero Emission Buses in the conference, and we greatly benefited from the discussions

Fatih Canitez, Imperial College

Great work at the conference – really good sessions, very informative and seamless. Well done

David Barnett, Translink

ZEB Innovation Showcase

The ZEB 2025 Innovation Showcase provides funded projects and transport associations with a prime opportunity to showcase their work in the Mezzanine networking hub at Brussels Expo, where 400+ industry leaders will gather. Participants enjoy high-profile visibility through our newsletter, LinkedIn, website, and event brochure, along with one complimentary conference ticket.

Don’t miss this chance to highlight your innovation and connect with key industry stakeholders—secure your spot today!

Explore the ZEB Innovation Showcase opportunity here

Watch the ZEB 2023 Aftermovie  ↓


 

Previous editions

The 5th edition of the Zero Emission Bus Conference was held in Brussels on 9th-12th October 2023. Over 430 attendees heard from >70 speakers and >90 representatives from transport operators and authorities attended.

The 2023 Zero Emission Bus Conference was the biggest-ever edition, and the first to be held at Busworld Europe, the world’s largest B2B bus and coach exhibition.

The 4th edition of the European Zero Emission Bus conference was held in Paris on 17th & 18th November 2021. The conference was held over two days at the Maison de la Chimie and attended by 400 attendees from the zero-emission bus sector. Experienced operators and industry experts outlined the pathways towards achieving full fleet transitions to zero emission.

What we accomplished:

  • A successful in person event during COVID-19, meeting COVID guidelines and regulations.
  • A digital QR code programme – No programmes were printed at this event, making it more environmentally friendly.
  • A conference with approximately 50 speakers in person and some virtual due to regulations in their country.
  • We ran shuttle bus tours with our sponsors Caetano and IVECO’s buses, one hydrogen and one battery electric.
  • 17 sponsors participated with exhibition booths; we received positive feedback from everyone looking forward to the next ZEB.

Throughout the autumn of 2020, the organisers hosted a series of free webinars in the lead up to the 4th conference edition in Paris 2021.

The ZEBINAR programme covered key elements of the transition to zero emission. Participants heard directly from operators on how they are integrating zero emission vehicles into their bus fleets; industry representatives developing zero emission infrastructure and vehicles; and policy makers developing the next phase of European directives.

The programme covered the following topics:

Zero Emission Buses & The Green Recovery – Tuesday 22nd September 2020
An overview of the policy framework and strategies for accelerating zero emission bus deployment in Europe. Speakers discussed how zero emission buses can play a part in Europe’s green recovery strategy.

Transforming Infrastructure: HYDROGEN – Tuesday 13th October 2020
Industry representatives discussed solutions for rolling out affordable infrastructure and pathways to green hydrogen.

Transforming Infrastructure: BATTERY – Tuesday 10th November 2020
Industry representatives and bus operators discussed solutions for rolling out affordable and reliable recharging infrastructure. Speakers tackled topics including connection to the grid, interoperability, and smart charging solutions.

Optimising Operations: Considerations For A Full Fleet Conversion – Tuesday 1st December 2020
Operators shared their experiences and best practices of operating ZE buses. Speakers shared their practical solutions for integrating zero emission buses into their existing fleets and plans for transitioning to fully zero emission fleets in the 2020s.

The 2nd edition of the European Zero Emission Bus conference was held in Cologne on the 27th & 28th November 2018. 

With over 350 attendees, the European Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) conference 2018 successfully brought together an audience of policy makers, bus manufacturers, operators, local authorities and industry experts.

The 1st edition of the Zero Emission Bus conference was held in London on 30th November 2016. Over 250 high level stakeholders from 22 countries attended the event, including representatives from local authorities, transit operators, industry, and national and financial regulatory and funding agencies held lively discussions around zero emission bus (ZEB) technologies’ readiness levels and commercialisation paths.

It was agreed unanimously that ZEB technologies are ready to be deployed globally.

Agenda

ZEB 2025 - Day 1

11:30
- 12:45

ZEB x Safety
Safety Aspects and Insurance Related to Charging of Electric Buses

15:00
- 16:15

ZEB x Digital Mobility Solutions
Software to Steer Smart Energy Management Systems & Charging Strategies

16:30
- 17:45

ZEB x Future of Coach
Decarbonizing Long Haul & Interurban Routes: Status on the Energy Transition in Operations >300km

ZEB 2025 - Day 2

09:00
- 10:30

Shaping the Future: Zero Emission Bus Market Trends and Policy Support

Magda Kopczyńska
Director-General for Mobility and Transport within the European Commission, since 01/08/2023 Magda Kopczyńska is the current Director-General for Mobility and Transport in the European Commission. Magda has held various leadership roles in the Commission, from Clean Transport and Sustainable Urban Mobility to Agriculture and Rural Development. Magda's commitment remains focused on driving positive change in Europe's mobility sector.
Tim Howgego
Managing Technical Consultant, ERM  Tim has been solving strategic transport policy puzzles since the 1990s. His analysis has been pivotal in the development of British Quality Bus Partnership legislation, accessibility/connectivity planning, and now bus decarbonisation. At ERM, Tim deploys a mix of topic and computational expertise to conceive and manage novel data-driven approaches to help understand and manage strategic transport decarbonisation challenges.
11:00
- 12:15

Optimising Zero Emission Bus Operations: Leveraging Data and AI

Michel van der Mark
Strategic Program Director, QBuzz With 24 years in public transport, Michel champions sustainability, energy transition, and innovation in zero-emission and autonomous transport. As Strategic Program Director, he has been an early adopter of zero-emission battery and hydrogen projects. Qbuzz operates 1,400 buses, 50% zero-emission, managed by its advanced Zero Emission Ecosystem software which efficiently manages a diverse fleet with multiple brands of buses and chargers, proving to be the optimal solution as operations grow more complex.
11:00
- 12:15

Evolution of CAPEX and OPEX for Zero Emission Buses: Outlook and Strategies

Tim Howgego
Managing Technical Consultant, ERM  Tim has been solving strategic transport policy puzzles since the 1990s. His analysis has been pivotal in the development of British Quality Bus Partnership legislation, accessibility/connectivity planning, and now bus decarbonisation. At ERM, Tim deploys a mix of topic and computational expertise to conceive and manage novel data-driven approaches to help understand and manage strategic transport decarbonisation challenges.
13:30
- 16:30

Organisational Change and Real-World Performance of Zero Emission Buses

09:00
- 10:30

Delivering Reliable Hydrogen Refueling: A Handbook from Planning to Operation

09:00
- 10:30

Charging Ahead: Exploring Opportunity vs Fixed Charging Infrastructure for Electric Buses

11:00
- 12:30

Navigating Battery Degradation, Safety, and End-of-Life Management

13:30
- 14:45

Servicing and Maintaining Zero Emission Bus Ecosystems

15:00
- 16:15

Financing the Transition To Zero Emission Buses

Luca Poggi
Luca Poggi, T&E  Luca leads the analytical work on Sustainable Finance at T&E, working to steer global investments towards sustainable activities, for people and nature.

Below the expected key topics to be tackled during ZEB 2025

Grid challenges - capacity
and procurement
Depot energy
management
Opportunity
charging
BEB & FCB performance
and drivetrain development
Business models to meet
increasingly CAPEX-
intensive operations
Maintaining ZEB fleets
& vehicle aftersales
Battery management -
degradation, safety, and
end of life
Evolution of OPEX for FCBs:
Outlook and strategies to
reduce the cost of hydrogen
HRS implementation:
design, ownership and
time to market
HRS operations:
protocols, maintenance and
aftersales
Optimising operations through
technology and telematics -
scheduling, SOC and data management

Organizers

Sponsors

gold

Sponsors

silver

Sponsors

bronze

Advisory Committee

Partners

Members of the Busworld Congress Steering Committee

Media Partners

Venue & hotel

The European ZEB 2025 conference @Busworld Europe will be held at the Brussels Expo Centre, located in the north of the capital city of Belgium.

Busworld Europe hosts over 500 exhibitors, including the 80 most important bus builders in the world, suppliers of charging and fuelling infrastructure, energy management systems, providers of engines and powertrains, Intelligent Transport System (ITS), Advanced Driver Assistance (ADAS), etc.

Busworld attracted 40,000+ visitors coming from 111 countries in 2023.

The distinctiveness of the Brussel Expo Centre lies in the originality of its architecture, which dates to the early 1930s with architectural style of Art Deco. This functional venue offers a variety of settings for conferences, and naturally creates an environment beneficial to the exchange of ideas, while bringing together all the material and equipment necessary to ensure the success of an event such as the European Zero Emission Bus Conference.

Contact

General Enquiries
ERM
zebconference.eu@erm.com

Jessica Pickles
Jessica.Pickles@erm.com

@EUZEBconference

Stay tuned for more news