The City of Johannesburg and Metrobus have begun testing electric buses on some of the city’s busiest routes, with the trial running through Soweto, Sandton, the Johannesburg CBD and Roodepoort for 30 to 60 days.

The trial, which began on 3 September, is being conducted in partnership with C40 Cities, the International Council on Clean Transportation and several global bus manufacturers. The electric buses are operating alongside the existing fleet on selected Metrobus and Rea Vaya routes to ensure no disruption to commuters.

For Soweto residents who rely on public transport daily, the trial represents a potential shift in how they move around the city.

COMMUTER HOPES FOR LOWER FARES

Thabo Khambule, 52, a commuter from Protea Glen Extension 27 who regularly uses Rea Vaya, said he has not yet used the new electric buses but hopes they will be cheaper to ride and better maintained than the current fleet.

“If they don’t use petrol or diesel, I would expect them to be cheaper,” he said.

Khambule’s sentiment reflects a broader hope among Soweto commuters that electric buses could translate into savings at the turnstile, though the City has not yet indicated whether fares will change.

WHAT THE TRIAL WILL TEST

The City will assess a range of technical and operational factors, including battery performance, energy consumption, fleet reliability, maintenance requirements and overall life-cycle costs. Passenger experience will also be monitored, covering accessibility, comfort, safety, and reduced emissions and noise pollution.

All trial buses have been integrated into Metrobus’s Fleet Management System, Control Centre and Automatic Vehicle Location system, allowing performance to be independently monitored and verified.

MMC for Transport Kenny Kunene said the trial is meant to ensure future decisions about the city’s bus fleet are based on evidence, not guesswork.

“This pilot is a strategic intervention to ensure that future fleet recapitalisation decisions are evidence-based, not speculative. Johannesburg cannot continue to buy buses the old way,” Kunene said.

ROUTES COVERED

The electric buses are operating on high-demand corridors including routes in Soweto, Sandton, the CBD and Roodepoort, as well as the Rea Vaya BRT Phase 1C(a) route serving communities across Berea, Yeoville, Orange Grove, Norwood, Alexandra, Marlboro and Sandton.

Lutando Maboza, executive director of the City’s Transport Department, described the initiative as a critical step in implementing the City’s Strategic Integrated Transport Plan.

“By partnering with Metrobus as our municipal operator and with global OEMs, we are creating a living laboratory on our own streets,” Maboza said. “We are testing cleaner propulsion, smarter ITS systems and safer operations in real conditions”.