Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis yesterday welcomed the city’s first fully electric MyCiTi bus.
Named Evie, the electric bus is part of an initial 38 battery-electric bus fleet, in line with broader plans for a public transport system that is “cleaner and smarter”.
According to the city, the electric bus fleet will be deployed along the major new Cape Flats route expansion, from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha, to Wynberg and Claremont.
The city says the fleet is South Africa’s “biggest metro-led public transport project”, with an overall infrastructure investment of R7.1 billion committed, to date.
“I took a spin on Cape Town’s first electric MyCiTi bus, which we are excited to announce has passed all performance tests. We have now given the go-ahead for 38 of these battery-electric vehicles to be manufactured, with the first batch expected before the end of the year,” says Hill-Lewis.
“The key benefit of electric buses is affordability for customers. These electric buses will make our fleet less susceptible to diesel price changes, which means more stable and affordable fares for commuters.
“These are the first electric buses with locally manufactured bodies and will be fully assembled in South Africa. In this way, we are glad to support jobs and economic growth.”
The MyCiTi bus service ridership has grown by 68% since 2021, to 23 million passenger trips annually and is set to reach 30 million once the Cape Flats extension begins operating, says the city.
It reveals that the e-bus has been tested on a variety of routes to determine its performance on steep inclines and downhill, in the city environment with many stop-and-goes, in heavy traffic during peak periods, and when travelling longer distances.
Mayoral committee member for urban mobility councillor Rob Quintas explains that the first e-bus has been rigorously tested and passed the necessary requirements, adding that the rest of the 37 e-buses will now go into production and be manufactured in accordance with Evie.
The city will take delivery of 38 of the 12-metre Volvo BZRLE battery-electric buses. The first batch is expected to arrive before the end of the year, with the final delivery to take place by the end of March 2027.
“The buses will be tested on arrival and deployed on routes as soon as the necessary processes have been concluded. The bus drivers will have to be trained as well,” notes Quintas.
“The procurement of the city’s first e-fleet is a major achievement 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 as we keep Cape Town moving.”
Share
