The City of Cape Town (CoCT) will procure 30 fully electric buses from Volvo Bus Southern Africa for its MyCiTi bus service, following an open-market tendering process.

The first buses are scheduled for delivery in 2027, says CoCT Urban Mobility MMC Rob Quintas.

“We have ordered a minimum of 30 buses, but this number may increase with funding availability.”

The new buses will be paid for by means of Public Transport National Grant funding.

The Volvo BZRLE bus chassis will all be imported, but the bodies will be locally produced, says Quintas.

He adds that the bus has not yet been tested in the city.

“The first bus will be built and homologated before the end of this year. Thereafter, testing will commence. It is important to note that this electric vehicle is the first of its kind in South Africa.”

CoCT will be the owner of the buses, but the operation will be outsourced.

Installation of the charging infrastructure is a separate tender, with the tendering process to start shortly.

The charging facilities for the buses will be located at the bus depots along Spine road between Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain.

Volvo Bus Southern Africa director Leon Nelson says the buses that will be supplied to Cape Town are already operational in Australia, the UK, the Middle East, South America, Sweden and other European countries.

“The first Volvo electric chassis is expected to arrive in South Africa this month.

“The body will be manufactured locally by Gauteng Bus and Coach Centre, with a high level of local content estimated to be more than 80%.

“Homologation is planned around year-end.”

Nelson says the new buses will deliver zero emissions and very low noise pollution.

“This project is more than just a bus delivery – this will be the first electric bus manufactured in South Africa for South Africa*.

“The project enables transitioning competence and skills from Sweden to South Africa to help upskill the local workforce and boost local manufacturing capacity.

“Ultimately, as South Africa, we can be very proud to introduce electric buses to Cape Town and in doing so, proof to the world that we acknowledge and support sustainability.”

Nelson adds that the conditions to implement electrified bus systems on a larger scale “vary hugely” between cities.

“How long it takes depends on, among other things, local conditions for electrification and what the procurement procedure looks like.

“Careful planning and close cooperation are prerequisites for being able to take the step to large-scale implementation.”

[*MAN is also ramping up to start series production of electric buses at its Durban plant.]