Background Growing concerns in Europe and worldwide over the security of energy supply, climate change and health are driving a shift from fossil fuels to alternative fuels, and are driving the development of new and more sustainable road vehicle propulsion systems. At present, urban traffic is responsible for 40% of CO2 emissions and 70% of emissions of other pollutants arising from road transport. Transport is especially vulnerable to oil supply disruption and price volatility. Despite considerable progress in reducing emissions of harmful pollutants, there remain concerns about air quality and noise, especially in urban areas. Air and noise pollution is getting worse year by year. Objectives The main objective of the HYPER BUS project is to demonstrate a pilot fleet of innovative public transport vehicles (buses) that combine outstanding performance with low-energy consumption. This will be achieved by introducing hybrid buses with a newly developed plug-in technology, which makes it possible to electrify a major part of the city bus lines. The project will demonstrate that this technology can contribute to reducing harmful emissions from European city public transport systems. The project will demonstrate: A new plug-in technology for hybrid buses – the complete vehicle will be optimised to ensure high standards of drivability, performance, durability and safety; A fast charging service for the buses – a reliable and efficient solution for charging is of crucial importance for the future use of plug-in technology. An effective service must take account of the location of the charging system, as well as safety, time efficiency, environmental and spatial considerations. The new hybrid plug-in technology and charging service will be demonstrated on an existing public bus route. The ultimate goal of the project is to test both of these important factors in city traffic. Expected results: The project will achieve the following results (compared to state-of-the-art technology): Reduced CO2 emissions: reduced fuel consumption, combined with electricity generated from renewable sources, will reduce CO2-emissions by 75%, compared to standard diesel vehicles; Improved energy efficiency: 60% less energy consumption than standard diesel buses; Reduced emissions of dangerous substances: a substantial reduction in diesel consumption, combined with more favourable driving conditions, will result in a at least a 75% reduction in average tailpipe emissions of NOx, PM, HC and CO; Less noise: electrical operation, which can cover 65% of the route, will radically decrease noise from buses, especially in sensitive areas. Electric powered take offs from bus stops will also contribute significantly to reducing noise pollution; Zero-emission areas: in selected areas, the buses will run on electricity only, making these “zero emission” areas.