Major bus service buys South Africa’s first electric bus fleet

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has announced a deal with Golden Arrow to provide the public transport company with 120 electric buses by the end of 2025.

BYD has a commercial vehicle footprint over six continents and has delivered over 80,000 electric buses worldwide.

The 12.5-meter-long B12 buses have 65 seats each and lithium iron phosphate batteries.

They are also fitted with BYD’s six-in-one controller for enhanced efficiency, consisting of two electric motor control units, one steering control unit, one air compressor controller, one DC-DC controller, and one power distribution unit.

Golden Arrow’s company engineer said that electricity costs are expected to be 70% less than diesel.

The bus service also plans to diversify its energy feed and make renewables the predominant source of electricity for the buses.

The 120-bus fleet is scheduled to be delivered beginning in December this year and fully completed by the end of 2025.

“As a South African, it is a great honour to introduce BYD electric buses and its advanced technologies to South Africa,” said BYD’s General Manager for South Africa, Steve Chang.

“This order is a testament to our shared vision of a sustainable future and highlights the increasing adoption of clean energy solutions in South Africa.”

Rigorous testing of the new buses began in 2020, with a 37-seater BYD K9 bus. Golden Arrow then introduced two electric buses into service in 2021.

Testing was then expanded to include the 65-seater buses in January 2023.

“Under demanding conditions such as simulating peak passenger capacities and conquering Cape Town’s steepest inclines, the robustness and reliability of BYD’s electric buses were unequivocally demonstrated,” BYD said.

By fulfilling this deal, the two companies said they will create the country’s first electric bus fleet and promote sustainable public transport.

“As a company with such a rich history, we are proud to be the first to bring electric buses to South Africa’s public transport space,” Golden Arrow CEO Francois Meyer said.

“This partnership with BYD underscores our commitment to innovation and sustainability.”

The BYD B12 65-seater electric bus