Earlier this week, the City of Cape Town‘s first batch of seven electric buses arrived from Johannesburg, where the bodies of the MyCiTi electric bus fleet are being manufactured.

Eight buses

The City now has eight battery-electric buses, including the prototype e-bus that arrived in July and was successfully piloted on a variety of routes to determine its performance on steep inclines and descents, in the city environment with frequent stops and starts, in heavy traffic during peak periods, and when travelling longer distances. Another 13 buses will arrive next month, and the remaining 17 are expected between January and March 2027, bringing the City’s e-fleet to 38.

All in all, the City will take delivery of 38 low-floor battery-electric buses as part of the roll-out of the MyCiTi bus service to the metro-south-east.

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“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,” said Rob Quintas, the City’s mayco member for urban mobility.

The fleet comprises 12-metre Volvo BZRLE battery-electric buses, the first MyCiTi buses whose bodies have been designed in South Africa and locally manufactured in Gauteng. Each bus has a passenger capacity is 59.

“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,” said Quintas.

N2 express

If all goes as planned, the fleet of 21 e-buses will be deployed as part of the N2 Express service that operates along the N2 highway, serving commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha. Other routes will also be considered to align available capacity with demand.

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.

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