Cape Town’s transition towards electric public transport has reached another milestone, with the City taking delivery of its first seven battery-electric MyCiTi buses as preparations continue for a larger fleet serving the metro-south east.
The buses arrived from Johannesburg earlier this week, bringing the number of electric buses in the City’s possession to eight, including a prototype that arrived in July, as highlighted by the City.
A further 13 vehicles are expected in November, with the remaining 17 scheduled to arrive between January and March 2027.
The deliveries form part of a 38-bus acquisition programme intended to support the expansion of MyCiTi services, with Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha among the communities expected to benefit from the planned deployment.
The City of Cape Town announced the latest delivery on 31 October, describing the electric fleet as part of its longer-term public transport strategy.
The new vehicles are 12-metre Volvo BZRLE battery-electric buses, with bodies designed in South Africa and manufactured in Gauteng. They are also the first MyCiTi buses to feature locally designed and manufactured bodies.
Each low-floor bus can accommodate 59 passengers, with the design intended to support accessible public transport.
Before the latest deliveries, the City tested its prototype electric bus on a range of routes and driving conditions. These included steep inclines, downhill stretches, stop-and-go traffic, peak-hour congestion and longer-distance journeys.
The trials were intended to establish how the vehicles perform in Cape Town’s varied road conditions before the larger fleet enters service.
Johannesburg is also exploring the technology, with the City launching an electric bus trial on Metrobus and Rea Vaya routes in September. The programme is assessing how battery-electric buses perform under local operating conditions, including their efficiency, maintenance requirements and passenger experience, as reported by Joburg Etc.
The City plans to deploy the first 21 electric buses on the N2 Express service, which connects commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha with the city, provided the rollout proceeds as planned.
Other routes will also be considered, with deployment decisions taking available capacity and passenger demand into account.
For commuters in the metro-south east, the introduction of electric buses forms part of the wider MyCiTi Phase 2A expansion, which is intended to extend public transport connections to communities across the Cape Flats.
Cape {town} Etc recently reported on concerns surrounding the future of the MyCiTi network after National Treasury announced plans to phase out the Public Transport Network Grant over the next three years, raising questions about funding for future expansion and operations.
The shift to battery-electric vehicles is also expected to bring changes to the cost of running the bus service, particularly as diesel prices continue to affect public transport operations.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, said the latest delivery marked an important step in the programme.
‘I was at the depot when the seven buses arrived earlier this week, and it was a very exciting moment. Given the steep diesel prices in particular, we cannot wait to see the difference the e-fleet will make in the operational expenditure where these buses operate. Some countries operating e-buses have noted a reduction of up to 70% in operating costs,’ Quintas said.
The potential reduction of up to 70% was cited with reference to experiences in some countries and should not be understood as a confirmed saving for Cape Town’s fleet.
Quintas also highlighted the environmental and operational considerations behind the transition, saying the vehicles would help the City assess the longer-term benefits of electric public transport.
‘The e-bus fleet also supports the City’s transition towards a cleaner, more sustainable public transport system that is not only more cost-effective to operate and maintain, but more resilient. The operating data we will collect over time will help us quantify the benefits we can get from an e-fleet and inform future deployment decisions that will keep Capetonians moving,’ he said.
While the City has identified additional electric buses as a strategic priority, future purchases will depend on funding being made available by National Government.
The current acquisition will bring the MyCiTi electric fleet to 38 vehicles once all deliveries have been completed by March 2027.
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