THE INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT ELECTRIFICATION ON THE EUROPEAN URBAN BUS MARKET, WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON POLAND

Purpuse. Cities across Europe are intensifying efforts to implement sustainable development goals, with a key focus on reducing external costs generated by the transport sector. The main objective of this article is to assess the impact of the ongoing electrification of bus fleets in European cities on the structure of the European urban bus market. Particular attention is given to the Polish urban bus market, which plays a significant role on both the supply and demand sides of the European market. Methodology. The analysis is based on secondary data from the years 2020–2023, sourced from industry reports and publications by market monitoring institutions. The study employs the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) and the C4 index to measure market concentration and the dominance of leading manufacturers. Findings. The findings show that European manufacturers maintain a strong position in the conventional bus segment, which translates into their dominance in the overall market. However, in the electric bus segment, the market share of non-EU companies, particularly Chinese firms, is growing. Current trends related to the electrification of bus fleets in European cities may lead to a further increase in their significance at the expense of manufacturers from EU member states.