On December 22, 2025, reports emerged indicating that Deutsche Bahn (DB) had recently finalized its largest-ever bus procurement initiative. Alongside acquiring a substantial number of vehicles from German manufacturer MAN, the company also placed an order for an additional 200 electric buses with Chinese automaker BYD.

This procurement approach has sparked dissatisfaction from German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil. He expressed his irritation, stating, “This really gets under my skin,” and advocated for the adoption of “sensible local protectionism.” He hoped that, under equal circumstances, such orders would be granted to German or European manufacturers.

Earlier, Deutsche Bahn had unveiled plans to purchase 3,300 hybrid or fully electric buses, with deliveries slated to occur between 2027 and 2032. The total order value is estimated to surpass 1 billion euros. Among these buses, 200 long-distance electric buses will be supplied by BYD and manufactured at BYD's factory in Hungary. The German Railway and Transport Union has also vehemently criticized this procurement decision.