Overview
- Osaka Metro, which announced the move Tuesday, said it cannot establish a method or system that keeps the EV buses safe and stable enough for regular service.
- The move covers 190 vehicles spanning large, small, and ultra-small types that were procured for the 2025 Osaka–Kansai Expo.
- During the Expo, 115 large buses ran between JR Sakurajima Station and the site, 35 small buses carried riders inside the venue, and 40 ultra-small buses operated as on-demand shuttles in Osaka City.
- Plans to redeploy the fleet for city bus routes and for self-driving bus trials after the Expo have been canceled due to unresolved safety concerns.
- Osaka City, the operator’s sole shareholder, told its council that buying 150 large and small units cost about ¥75 billion with more than ¥40 billion in national, prefectural, and city subsidies, and Metro said it will consult grantors on how those funds should be handled.