Golden Arrow Bus Service (GABS) in South Africa has taken delivery of the first set of electric buses in the country and the whole of southern Africa. This came after the transport company concluded several months of trials.
GAB, the largest in the country’s transport sector, received the two BYD electric buses. They will run in Cape Town, Western Cape province.
The buses can cover up to 320 km on a single charge, with a passenger capacity of 40. Other passenger-focused features like free WiFi and ramp access for wheelchair users.
GABS operates more than 1,100 buses but plans to gradually electrify all its buses. It will run the new electric buses during rush hour, between Retreat, the suburb, and Cape Town.
According to Gideon Neethling, an engineer with GABS, the aim of introducing electric buses is to help the problem of carbon emission:
“Introducing electric buses aims to respond to the national and provincial governments’ call for reducing carbon emissions. For the first few months, we tested the buses in a range of circumstances without passengers. The aim was to get to know exactly how these vehicles perform before incorporating them into our operations. Testing these vehicles has been a joy for everyone who is part of the project. Each time we carry out a new test or reach a new milestone, the level of excitement increases further.”
BYD had earlier supplied its electric buses to Mauritius and Egypt, at the opposite end of the continent. Hopefully, other African countries will follow the lead of these two pioneers in adopting greener mass mobility and help combat climate change due to carbon emission.
More than 300 electric BYD buses run in over 50 countries globally.
The government of South Africa is working to formulate a strategy that will help it transform the country into a manufacturer of advanced electric vehicles and automotive parts soon.
Renewable Brief 