South Africa, GABS to roll out 120 BYD e-buses in Cape Town

Golden Arrow Bus Services, operating in Cape Town (South Africa) announces it has signed a deal with BYD for the purchase of 120 electric buses. It comes after a 4-years time of testing.

Deliveries are scheduled to start late in 2024, with all the buses expected to be operational before December 2025.

GABS to operate electric buses in Cape Town

The ordered buses feature 65 seats and are 12.5-meters long. They are equipped with LFP battery and the new BYD six-in-one controller, which integrates six critical components into one single compact module for enhanced efficiency and reliability.

The buses ordered are BYD B12 buses with similar specifications to the bulk of the Golden Arrow fleet.

According to Golden Arrow Bus Services and Frontier Transport Holdings’ Chief Executive Officer, Francois Meyer, this order marks a turning point in the Company’s future trajectory. “This bulk order confirms our commitment to renewable energy and will also provide us with the larger scale operational data to pave the way towards full fleet electrification,” he says.

“As a South African, it is a great honor to introduce BYD electric buses and its advanced technologies to South Africa,” said Steve Chang, General Manager of BYD South Africa. “We are thrilled to partner with Golden Arrow in this groundbreaking initiative. 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.”