As Bishkek prepares to introduce its first fleet of electric buses, local activists are mounting a legal campaign to save the city’s trolleybus system from complete dismantlement.

Municipality’s Modernization Push

The first two electric buses from China’s Anhui Ankai Automobile Co. have already arrived in Bishkek and will soon begin operating on city routes. In total, the city has procured 120 electric buses, with the remaining 118 expected to be delivered by May, according to Daiyrbek Orunbekov, head of information policy at the President’s Office.

Orunbekov said the new vehicles will replace outdated public transport and help improve the capital’s environmental conditions.

“City streets used to be clogged with shuttle buses, and the roads were in disarray. Now modern buses are replacing minibuses. Last year, the roads were reconstructed and old trolleybus lines dismantled. Some residents were initially unhappy, but electric buses, more spacious and comfortable, are now on the routes,” he explained.

A Contested Phase-Out

Despite these upgrades, the decision to remove trolleybus lines has sparked a backlash. Bishkek residents and activists have sued the mayor’s office, arguing that officials acted without proper authorization in dismantling the network. All trolleybus lines in Bishkek were removed in a short period. Of the remaining fleet, 100 trolleybuses, many still under loan repayment, were transferred to Osh, six to Naryn, and 42 remain parked on the outskirts of the capital.

Meanwhile, Kyrgyz MP Ulan Bishimbayev has announced that the authorities plan to retrofit some of the old trolleybuses with batteries to convert them into electric buses. One pilot project is already underway.

“We invited specialists who confirmed it was possible. One trolleybus is being remodeled in pilot mode and should be launched within 10 days,” Bishimbayev said.

Legal Battle and Environmental Concerns

The next court hearing on the trolleybus issue is scheduled for April 9 at the Bishkek City Court. Activists argue that trolleybuses, powered by a network of 19 existing substations, remain one of the most sustainable forms of transport.

“Trolleybus wires are a consumable material that needs replacement every 20 years. The challenge of restoring them is manageable. What matters are the substations, and they are still intact,” activist Bermet Borubayeva told The Times of Central Asia.

She also questioned the narrative that the old system was outdated.

“A representative from the president’s staff claimed the trolleybuses were outdated and would be replaced with electric buses. But that’s misleading. The trolleybuses bought with a €23.5 million European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) loan just six years ago are still modern, with a service life of 20 years,” she said.

Borubayeva also pointed out that the batteries used in electric buses typically last only 5-10 years and pose environmental risks when recycled.

According to earlier electrification plans approved by European lenders, Bishkek was expected to combine trolleybus and electric bus networks. However, city authorities have opted for a different course.