The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has unveiled its new electric vehicle (EV) buses.
The buses, which will be utilised for student transport to various campuses, are the first of their kind in South Africa.
The buses are a direct response to UJ’s efforts at sustainability, as part of the University’s plans to reduce carbon emissions.
Two brightly painted EV buses have been added to the UJ fleet. For UJ there is cause to celebrate the new transport since the EV buses produce lower carbon emissions, but offer a smooth ride, even faced with Johannesburg’s steep hills.
Special Projects advisor Professor Andre Nel explained the process that led to this project coming to fruition.
“It started more than 18 months ago, as part of our drive to reduce our carbon footprint at UJ. We’ve always had a strong focus on sustainability issues. After implementing large numbers of solar panels, one of the next questions was how can we further make UJ sustainable? After some research, the obvious answer was how we were going to cut our carbon emissions in one area, and that area was transport. Transport makes up about four-and-a-half per cent of UJ’s footprint and reducing that in any way is something we desired”.
Dr Mpoti Ralephata, UJ’s Chief Operations Officer, says that 15% of energy at UJ comes from solar, which is enough to power the buses during loadshedding. This ensures the buses can be part of the fleet at all times.
The buses offer many advancements to the existing UJ fleet. Unlike normal diesel-powered engines, EV buses are almost silent. Each bus has a capacity of 76 passengers, with 57 seated and 19 standing.
For added safety, the buses are fitted with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and stop buttons. The stop buttons make communication with operators easier, as passengers can draw the driver’s attention without being intrusive when approaching their destination. Adding to the high-tech design of the buses is that they are equipped with USB charging ports for students.
A fully-charged bus can cover a range of 350 km range, and this distance is less than the 200km route the busses will cover day-to-day. There are currently two charge points for the buses, one on campus and one at the bus depo.
The lifespan of each bus is projected at 15 years, and each bus will significantly reduce fuel costs for the university. UJ drivers will also receive additional training to operate the new buses.
