Cape Town is moving closer to electric public transport and it is starting with real-world testing.

The City of Cape Town has partnered with the University of Cape Town (UCT) to trial electric buses as part of research into how they could work in the MyCiTi fleet.

What the City and UCT are Testing

The research will be run by the City’s Urban Mobility Directorate with UCT and it will measure feasibility, operational impact and cost implications of electric buses in the MyCiTi system.

The research phase will use up to four 12-metre electric buses deployed across different MyCiTi routes. The first bus is expected to arrive in the first quarter of the new financial year if final arrangements are completed.

A 12-month Pilot to Measure Performance and Costs

The pilot is expected to run for about 12 months. The City will track performance across different route profiles, battery life, charging times and the impact of passenger loads and climate conditions.

It will also examine maintenance and operational costs. International experience suggests operating costs for electric buses can drop significantly compared to diesel fleets.

Funding and Who is Involved

The project is funded by the City, plus a €90 000 grant approved by the Mayoral Committee earlier this week.

The agreement will be implemented through the eBRT2030 Consortium, which is the implementing agent for the initiative supporting the project.

When Electric MyCiTi Buses Could Hit the Road

Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, said the pilot is needed before committing to a full rollout. He said the research will help plan logistics, driver training, maintenance requirements, passenger demand and fault reporting.

The research is expected to run until at least December 2026, with a possible extension to June 2027.

If the pilot succeeds, the City plans to roll out electric buses on MyCiTi routes in the metro-south east, including Phase 2A routes.

The first electric buses are expected to start operating from 1 July 2027, serving routes between Mitchell’s Plain and Khayelitsha, Wynberg and Claremont, and the Cape Town CBD.