Cape Town – Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has welcomed the arrival of “Evie”, Cape Town’s first fully electric MyCiTi bus.
This first bus has now passed rigorous performance testing on several routes.
Mayor Hill-Lewis revealed that the City has confirmed an order for an initial 38 battery-electric buses as part of broader plans for a public transport system that is cleaner, smarter and less susceptible to diesel price fluctuations.
The electric bus fleet will be deployed along the major new Cape Flats route expansion, set to benefit over 1,4 million residents across 30 neighbourhoods, from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha, to Wynberg and Claremont.
This is SA’s biggest public transport project, with an overall infrastructure investment of R7,1bn committed to date.
“This morning I took a spin on Cape Town’s first electric MyCiTi bus, which we are excited to announce has passed all performance tests,” said Mayor Hill-Lewis.
“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.
‘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 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-go situations, in heavy traffic during peak periods, and when travelling longer distances.
“It is a great moment to confirm that our first e-bus has been rigorously tested and passed our requirements with flying colours,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.
“I’ve been told that she reached perfect speeds on Hospital Bend, which is known for its steep incline, and performed equally well on the N2 highway, in Camps Bay with many stop-goes at traffic signals, and along other routes such as Polkadraai Road and Jip de Jager Drive.
“Now, the rest of the 37 e-buses will go into production and be manufactured in accordance with this bus.”
All in all, the City will take delivery of 38 of these 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,” said Councillor Quintas.
“The bus drivers will have to be trained as well.
“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.”
The acquisition of more battery-electric buses remains a strategic priority for the City, but will depend on the availability of future funding from the National Government.
MyCiTi 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.
Cape Town’s MyCiTi is the most successful service of its kind, accounting for 42% of all passenger trips on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) nationally.
