Abu Dhabi launches first electric bus in region
The UAE has set a clean energy target of 27 percent by 2021.
(Web Desk) – Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) has officially launched the region’s first fully electric passenger bus in partnership with department of transport (DoT), Hafilat Industry LLC, and Siemens.
Pursuing clean and energy efficient transport, the UAE has set a clean energy target of 27 percent by 2021.
Green energy company Masdar, wholly-owned by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company, has invested US$8.5 billion in renewable energy projects in the UAE and abroad.
The vehicle will serve a six-stop route between Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station and Masdar City. The Eco-Bus will be seamlessly integrated into the DoT’s existing fleet, while the service will be free until the end of March 2019.
As the major performance challenge for electric vehicles is the UAE’s climate so this bus has been designed to endure the heat and humidity of desert.
The bus seats 30 passengers and has a range of 150 kilometers per battery charge. Solar panels are also used to power the Eco-Bus’s auxiliary systems.
