Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate will take delivery of its first electric bus in August 2026, marking the start of a phased rollout of 30 low-floor electric buses planned for the city’s public transport fleet.
Source: Archive
A further 13 electric buses are expected between October and December 2026, with full delivery of the fleet scheduled between August 2026 and June 2027.
The buses will be deployed across selected MyCiTi routes, including those operating in the metro-south east and future routes under Phase 2A of the transport expansion programme.
Phased rollout of electric bus fleet
The first unit, a 12-metre Volvo BZRLE electric bus, will arrive in August. Additional units will follow in stages through to 2027.
The fleet forms part of a broader transition within the City’s bus procurement and operations strategy, with electric buses set to integrate into existing MyCiTi infrastructure over time.
The vehicles will also mark the first time that bus bodies for the system are manufactured locally in Johannesburg.
City cites operational efficiency
The City says the introduction of electric buses aims to reduce emissions and improve long-term operational efficiency in a volatile energy environment.
“The delivery of the electric bus fleet cannot be more timely, given the volatility of the energy markets and the uncertain geopolitical environment. Apart from lowering our carbon emissions, an electric bus fleet could offer multiple other benefits, especially as far as maintenance and operational costs are concerned.
"Some countries operating e-buses have noted a reduction of up to 70% in operating costs, and we will be conducting research soon to determine what type of savings Cape Town can look forward to,” said Councillor Rob Quintas, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility.
UCT partnership to assess performance
The City, in partnership with the University of Cape Town, will conduct a research programme to evaluate how electric buses perform within the MyCiTi operational environment.
The project is funded by the City of Cape Town and the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative (UEMI).
Testing will run over approximately 12 months across existing routes, focusing on battery performance, charging cycles, route efficiency, passenger load impacts and operational reliability.
Data to inform fleet integration
Findings from the research will be used to guide full-scale rollout planning, including maintenance systems, driver training, operational procedures and fault response systems.
“The research will help us understand how the electric buses will perform in our local context, and what challenges we need to consider before we roll out the e-bus fleet in 2027. This information will assist us with planning and preparations, such as the training of the bus drivers, maintenance requirements, passenger loads, fault reporting, and so forth,” said Councillor Quintas.
First services planned for mid-2027
If implementation proceeds as scheduled, the first electric buses will enter service on 1 July 2027.
Initial deployment routes include Mitchells Plain to Khayelitsha, Wynberg to Claremont, and services linking to the Cape Town CBD.
The City says further procurement of electric buses remains a strategic priority, but will depend on available funding from national government allocations.
