Electrification of public transportation

The document details an 18-month pilot by Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) using two BYD electric buses in Cape Town. The trial demonstrated that electric buses can handle steep local topography, such as Hospital Bend, and achieve significant energy cost savings of nearly 69% compared to diesel alternatives. To mitigate the carbon intensity of the South African grid, GABS has installed rooftop solar PV at six depots, reaching 1.7MWp by March 2023, though it estimates a need for 80 to 100MW of renewable capacity to fully electrify its 1,100-bus fleet. The study concludes that while electric buses have higher upfront costs, fuel savings allow them to pay for themselves over a 15 to 20 year lifespan.

• An 18-month pilot project using two 37-seater BYD electric buses confirmed that the vehicles could successfully operate on steep inclines in Cape Town, specifically Hospital Bend, with a confirmed battery range of 300km on a full charge.
• Electric buses demonstrated substantial operational savings over diesel buses, including a 69% reduction in energy costs, a 50% reduction in spare parts, and an 80% reduction in oils and lubricants.
• Despite an initial purchase price two to three times higher than diesel buses (R5.4 million to R8.1 million versus R2.7 million), electric buses are projected to pay for themselves through fuel savings over a lifespan of 15 to 20 years, with annual savings of R359,460 per bus.
• To avoid relying on coal-heavy grid electricity, GABS installed grid-tied rooftop solar PV at six depots, achieving a peak generation capacity of 1.7MWp by March 2023. However, a fully electric fleet of 1,100 vehicles would require 80 to 100MW of renewable energy capacity.
• Analysis of fleet utilization identified two primary windows for opportunity charging at depots: mid-day off-peak (09:00 to 15:00), when 70% of the fleet is available, and night-time off-peak (21:30 to 04:00), when 95% of the fleet is available.
• GABS plans to replace its existing diesel fleet with 60 electric buses annually starting in 2024, representing an estimated annual investment of R324 million to R486 million.

APA

GreenCape (n.d.). Electrification of public transportation. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CCT23_GABS-case-study_Electrification-of-public-transportation.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Electrification of public transportation. n.d. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CCT23_GABS-case-study_Electrification-of-public-transportation.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Electrification of public transportation |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CCT23_GABS-case-study_Electrification-of-public-transportation.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencapendelectrification, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Electrification of public transportation}}, institution = {GreenCape}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CCT23_GABS-case-study_Electrification-of-public-transportation.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }