Eurobus Diamond – Ciorogârla, near Bucharest, is set to become the epicenter of a public transport revolution in Romania, hosting the country’s first electric bus factory. BMC Truck&Bus, previously known for manufacturing buses with combustion engines, is reinventing itself to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles. In the first half of next year, the Ciorogârla plant will begin producing electric buses under the Eurobus Diamond name, aiming to expand its presence both in the domestic and international markets.
What makes this initiative special is that BMC Truck&Bus will use components from China in the assembly process. This not only brings cutting-edge technology to the Ciorogârla factory but also reduces costs by 3-8% compared to full imports from China. This strategic decision comes as BMC has already supplied 500 electric buses to the Chinese market.
According to economedia.ro, local production is not limited to meeting domestic demand but also targets export to regional markets, including Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, as well as countries like Italy and Spain. Thus, Romania is poised to become a significant player in the European electric vehicle market, bringing substantial economic benefits.
The Ciorogârla plant has an initial capacity to produce 200 electric buses per year, with the potential to expand to 7-800 units depending on demand. This expansion will not only meet the growing demand for electric vehicles but will also contribute to the creation of 200 jobs in the first phase. With further development, the number of employees could reach 7-800, representing a significant step towards economic growth and job creation.
Starting the construction of electric buses near Bucharest means that Romania will join the select group of European countries that produce such vehicles. Only a few EU countries can boast electric bus production and exports, such as Germany (Mercedes, MAN), Czech Republic (SOR), Netherlands (Ebusco), Poland (Solaris), Sweden (Volvo and SCANIA). Beyond the EU borders, Turkey is another major producer of electric buses. China is, by far, the world’s largest producer, larger than all other producers combined.
In the Romanian market, where BMC has already delivered 500 buses, the competition is among suppliers offering buses priced up to 500,000 euros. According to BMC’s director, Mercedes, MAN, and IVECO are too expensive for the Romanian market, as they offer products starting from 6-700,000 euros, which is beyond what municipalities, county councils, or other clients can afford. Instead, BMC competes locally with Solaris from Poland, SOR from the Czech Republic, and TEMSA and Karsan from Turkey.
For exports, the manufacturer from Ciorogârla targets regional markets such as Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary, as well as other markets like Italy and Spain.
BMC Truck&Bus is a bus manufacturer and distributor with a production facility in Ciorogârla, near the Bucharest-Pitești highway, controlled by the Kilic family.
In 20 years, BMC’s sales of buses and trucks have exceeded 5,000 units.