RWTH Highlights Sustainability Strategy with Introduction of Electric Bus
Since 2022, RWTH Aachen University has been developing a Sustainability Strategy and an associated Sustainability Roadmap in a participatory process. It was approved by the Senate in December 2023. RWTH has set itself the goal of being climate-neutral by 2030. Now, in a collaborative action with ASEAG, a public bus will draw attention to the topic of “Sustainability at RWTH” throughout the city. Launching the bus also marks the start of the “We are part of the solution!” campaign at RWTH. With Dr. Margrethe Schmeer, Mayor of the City of Aachen, and RWTH’s AStA Chairman, Simon Roß, looking on, Professor Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH, and ASEAG Board Member Michael Carmincke presented the electric bus, featuring a blue RWTH color-scheme, in front of the main building of the University.
“We all know that we can only tackle and overcome the major global challenges of our time if we work together, and that everyone can do something to make this world more sustainable – for us today and for future generations. The issue of environmental sustainability concerns us all, and everyone should start by looking at how they, as individuals, can contribute. As an integrated interdisciplinary university of technology, we are aware of our role model function and societal expectations. RWTH Aachen University is a place where the future is envisioned and created. We change the world through our research and, especially thanks to this work, we are helping build a more sustainable future,” explains Rector Ulrich Rüdiger.
The Sustainability Strategy formulates specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound targets to achieve the goal of a climate-neutral, more sustainable RWTH. These goals are to be achieved by 2030 in the areas of teaching and learning, research, governance, and operations. In addition, the University’s Sustainability Roadmap defines corresponding measures that operationalize the activities required to achieve these targets and identifies key performance indicators.
“In the development of this strategy, we made a concerted effort to ensure that every member of the University had a voice and could contribute to shaping our goals and the measures to achieve them. The adoption of the Sustainability Strategy is a significant milestone in our sustainability journey and provides a solid foundation for us to work together, step by step, towards a more sustainable RWTH,” reports Katharina Jochim, Head of the Sustainability and University Governance Staff Unit. However, our commitment to sustainability extends beyond the University. We also aim to inspire and engage the public in sustainability action. The bus is an ideal vehicle for this, and the University is proud to have ASEAG as a long-standing partner in this endeavor.
“Sustainability is in ASEAG’s DNA with its climate-friendly mobility services. So, an ASEAG bus is a great way to draw attention to RWTH’s sustainability strategy. Especially as RWTH, with its many employees and students, is one of ASEAG’s major customers. ASEAG and RWTH have also worked together on sustainable mobility solutions for many years, for example, in the Mobiltity Broker research project. Together, we developed this online platform for bundling mobility services ten years ago, and today, it is the heart of our movA mobility app,” explains ASEAG senior executive Michael Carmincke.
The public bus in RWTH signature colors is powered by twelve high-voltage battery modules with a storage capacity of 292 kWh – eight battery modules on the vehicle roof and four in the rear. It offers space for a total of 70 passengers. The batteries have a range of around 150 kilometers and are charged at the ASEAG depot with green electricity from STAWAG. ASEAG currently has 27 battery-powered electric buses in operation (12 single unit buses and 15 articulated buses). From 2025 onwards, another 18 single-unit buses and 15 articulated buses will be delivered.