Abu Dhabi will launch electric buses to support passengers transport within the emirate from the third week of October
A Gulf News report said that two fully-electric vehicles will be released next month to obtain passenger responses within the city of Abu Dhabi and its suburbs.
According to the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport (DoT), the trial vehicles will be in operation for six months, before the DoT determines whether they will become a permanent replacement for the currently used diesel buses.
DoT organisational development director Saeed Al Hameli said, ?The benefits of this initiative are many. Firstly, these vehicles release virtually no by-product into the atmosphere. Secondly, the cost of purchase and maintenance is cheaper than the buses we currently use.
?They are also easier to develop as they are technologically-based. The lifespan of the electric buses is shorter by 10 per cent in comparison to the hydrocarbon vehicles we normally use, but even then we would only have to replace the battery and not the entire bus.?
During the trial phase, surveys will be handed out to passengers to test the buses? level of comfort.
?We will ask questions regarding whether commuters have noticed a difference in the bus. We are expecting that bus rides will be especially convenient because of the reduced noise levels,? Al Hameli said.
According to a DoT official, the buses will take an average of four hours to be fully charged and will be able to travel an average of 200km a day under a full load.
