Abu Dhabi has recently embraced their first fully electric bus created in collaboration with the Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi (DoT), Masdar, Hafilat Industry LLC, and Siemens. The bus will cover six locations between Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station and Masdar City. The good news is the bus service will not cost anything to passengers until the end of March 2019.
Furthermore, the first fully electric bus of the region is created keeping in mind the severe climatic conditions of the UAE. It can accommodate 30 travelers and cover 150 km on a single battery charge.
“The launch of the Eco-Bus is a milestone for the UAE in a number of ways,” stated Yousef Baselaib, Executive Director for Sustainable Real Estate at Masdar. “Masdar City has been an incubator of sustainable mobility technologies, including the iconic Personal Rapid Transport system and the Navya Autonom shuttle vehicle. Now we are exporting solutions beyond the city limits with our partners for the benefit of the wider community.”
“Helping the UAE deliver on its sustainability targets, including more environmentally friendly mobility solutions, is a key part of our mandate at Masdar and high on the agenda at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2019, which will showcase opportunities for further convergence of knowledge and technologies in the pursuit of cleaner and more energy-efficient transport,” Baselaib stated.
DoT took the responsibility to test the fully electric bus to enhance user experience. The bus was actually designed and developed by Hafilat while the propulsion technology was borrowed from Siemens.
“The collaboration between the Department of Transport and Masdar has been very fruitful and resulted in the operating of the electric bus,” stated Eng. Ahmed Ateeq Al Mazrouei, Adviser to the Chairman of the DoT and Head of the Buses and Water Ferries Team.
“This initiative is a result of the efforts and support dedicated by DoT and its strategic partners to promote the use of sustainable and intelligent transport modes, which enhances the quality of life in the Emirate. This smart initiative is just one of a series of future initiatives that are aimed at enhancing the intelligent transportation system in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and making it part of the daily lives of public transport users.”