Coloured in white, yellow and green thus stressing their eco-friendly character the new buses will gradually replace the capital's white-and-blue conventional public buses, in accordance to the 98/69 E.U. directive. The contract for the natural gas vehicles, signed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications last year, went to French auto manufacturer Renault, while its total cost is GDR28.1 billion (circa GDR94 million per bus). Funding will be shared on a 50-50 basis between the European Union's 3rd Structural Fund and the Greek state.

With a carrying capacity of 92 commuters each, the new vehicles are capable of running for 350km on compressed natural gas stored in eight special containers located on the bus roofs. An Athens Urban Transport Association (OASA) spokesperson assured that the natural gas-powered buses are absolutely safe for the public, as the compressed fuel containers are equipped with safety valves, which close automatically in case of a leakage. Fuel for the buses will be supplied by DEPA, the Public Natural Gas Corporation.

As to the task of the buses' aesthetic enhancement, it went to fashion designer Yannis Tseklenis, who, in recent years, has specialised in redesigning mass transport means such as trolleys, trains and the Olympic Airways fleet. The brand new, air-conditioned natural gas buses will be initially employed in OASA routes at the northwestern Athenian suburbs.