eThekwini receives 19 electric commuter buses
The process of purchasing and rolling out the buses and their associated charging infrastructure has begun.
THE new fully-electric commuter buses are expected to hit the streets of eThekwini Municipality in the next 18 to 24 months.
This has been revealed by Tebogo Snyer, a project manager at the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi), since the institution recently embarked on a pilot project of bringing 39 electric buses to Tshwane and eThekwini by the end of 2025.
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Snyer said the institution has begun the process of purchasing and rolling out the buses and their associated charging infrastructure.
“The R89.4-million funding was secured by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) for the initiative from the Global Environment Facility. In terms of the project scope, the City of Tshwane will be allocated 20 emission-free buses and eThekwini 19, and in both regions, the electricity infrastructure will be upgraded to support the requirements of the charging facilities,” says the project manager.
He disclosed that the project will be implemented over a period of five years, with half the buses being commissioned in the first two years and the rest later on. Snyer said, “During this time, we will demonstrate the technical, operational, legal, economic and other feasibility factors and bed down the specifications of the ecosystem needed to support electric buses in South Africa.”
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He alluded that the first buses are only expected to be on the roads in the next 18 to 24 months. For the safe operation of electric buses, Snyer said the drivers will also be trained on how to operate the buses and manage charging cycles.
Apart from emitting fewer emissions than their diesel-powered counterparts, Snyer said the electric buses are cheaper to run and maintain.
He added, “We want to prepare South Africa for the future. When costs start to come down, local municipalities should be ready to implement the technology that will improve public transport while reducing its environmental impact.”
Lindiwe Khuzwayo of eThekwini Municipality said they are aware of the electric commuter buses project. “We welcome the project, and we are excited that the municipality will receive the lower-emission buses,” she said.
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