Electric buses for Cape Town

Fleet of electric buses to launch in Cape Town in 2017.

Cape Town is to introduce a fleet of electric buses in 2017, after awarding the R126 million tender to the South African branch of Chinese electric car and rechargeable battery manufacturer Build Your Dreams.

The ten 12-m buses will be able to travel at least 250km before needing a recharge, and will be operated by MyCiTi, Cape Town’s bus-based public transport system.

Mayor Patricia de Lille says the move is in line with the city's commitment to lowering carbon emissions, and that Cape Town is set to become the first African city to use electric buses for public transport.

Cape Town is also said to be considering adding electric double-decker buses to the city's fleet which currently consists of diesel-powered vehicles.

Since its inception in May 2010 more than 53 million passenger journeys have been recorded on the MyCiTi service which recently introduced free-on-board wifi for commuters.