Tampere committee bars non‑EEA bids in electric bus procurement

Tampere’s corporate committee decided on May 12, 2026 that the city-owned operator Tampereen Kaupunkiliikenne Oy should not consider bids from third countries when procuring electric buses, the City of Tampere said.

The move rests on procurement rules that require purchases for utilities, transport and postal services to be sourced from the European Economic Area or countries that have agreements with the EU. Committee chair Matti Helimo said it aligns with EU measures such as the Industrial Accelerator Act to strengthen European manufacturing and protect jobs, and that the committee expects public procurement to prioritise EU-made vehicles and European sustainability criteria.

According to Yle, Tampere plans to buy 25 new electric “superbuses”, with the procurement to be carried out this year. Aamulehti adds that the restriction is specifically linked to the new 25 superbuses planned to enter service in 2028. Aamulehti also reports that Mayor Ilmari Nurminen considers securing the supply of buses for core services a key concern.

Aamulehti provides further fleet context: it says Tampere already runs 13 Yutong-brand Chinese electric buses and that there are about 80 electric buses across the region’s roughly 330-vehicle fleet. Because other regional operators also use Yutong vehicles, Aamulehti notes that the procurement change would affect not only Tampereen Kaupunkiliikenne Oy but also the wider regional fleet and suppliers.

Aamulehti further references a July report quoting Norwegian researchers who warned of safety risks in some Chinese buses. It says Tampereen Kaupunkiliikenne Oy CEO Kai Honkanen has stated that officials are monitoring the debate but have not seen evidence of concrete risks so far. Yle also links the decision to forthcoming EU legislation that could restrict imports of some Chinese electric buses.

Officials warned the restriction could raise costs or affect quality. For the current fleet order, the committee estimates about a 2–3 percent increase in operating costs. Budget impacts will appear in 2028, when the new services begin in August.

Under city rules, the corporate committee guides and supervises wholly city-owned companies to ensure they follow the city’s ownership principles and the council’s financial and operational targets. The decision and meeting materials are included in the committee’s May 12 agenda and minutes.