Cape Town has its first MyCiTi electric bus.
This prototype e-bus will be piloted on a variety of routes in the next few weeks, to determine its performance on steep inclines and downhill, in heavy traffic during peak periods, and when travelling longer distances.
It will be tested at Hospital Bend, the N2 highway, at Camps Bay, and where appropriate, along other routes such as Polkadraai Road and Jip de Jager Drive.
Once successful, the City plans to have 38 low-floor battery-electric buses.
Rob Quintas, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member (MMC) for Urban Mobility, said the operational rollout of the fleet will most likely be in 2027.
“The MyCiTi service is now 16 years old. The arrival of our first e-bus is a major highlight in this journey and supports our transition towards a cleaner, more sustainable public transport system that is not only more cost-effective to operate and maintain, but more resilient. Some countries operating e-buses have noted a reduction of up to 70% in operating costs. We are eager to see how this bus performs in our local environment in coming weeks, in particular as we are operating in an increasingly volatile global energy market” said Quintas.
Picture: City of Cape Town