MyCiti to introduce electric buses with new routes
A new phase of the MyCiti bus service will open up new routes in Cape Town, while also aiming to introduce electric buses.
According to Councillor Rob Quintas, the City’s mayoral committee member for urban mobility, the City of Cape Town plans to have electric buses (e-buses) on its MyCiti service by 2027.
These buses will be integrated into MyCiTi Phase 2A. This phase will see an extension of the bus service to connect Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Wynberg, and Claremont.
This marks the City’s second stab at implementing zero-emission technology, following an unsuccessful attempt in 2018.
Since then, e-buses have made massive strides in terms of range and technology.
Quintas told Engineering News Online that the Cape Town council has given the Urban Mobility Directorate the thumbs up to proceed with bringing alternate energy buses into Phase 2A.
“At this point it is foreseen that the first routes will be operational by mid-2027, if all goes as planned,” said Quintas.
ELECTRIC BUSES PART OF CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
The MyCiTi service won’t solely rely on e-buses. Cape Town’s Climate Change Action Plan has committed to having more electric or alternative-fuel-powered vehicles on the road by 2050.
This will include freight, buses, taxis, and passenger vehicles.
As such, the Mobility Directorate is being tasked with working towards carbon neutrality on Cape Town’s road network.
This aligns with the National Department of Transport’s Green Transport Strategy (2018–2050). The department wants 10% of municipal bus fleets to be using clean energy within the next 10 to 20 years.
“The directorate has initiated a procurement strategy aimed at zero-emission vehicle solutions for the City’s bus fleet,” Quintas added.
“The first step was to identify the most suitable alternative or green-vehicle and fuel-technology options for the MyCiTi bus service, supported by the necessary infrastructure.”
A DUAL STRATEGY
He went on to say that a feasibility study was conducted that considered various alternative-energy vehicles. These included compressed natural gas, hydrogen-electric, battery electric, hybrid, and Euro VI buses.
Based on the study, the City plans to adopt a dual strategy, acquiring both Euro VI diesel buses and battery electric buses for the second phase of the MyCiTi bus service.
Quintas emphasised the ongoing exploration of alternative fuel options to ensure the City continues to procure the best technology available.