Cape Town’s big plan to get rid of its petrol fleet

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) has outlined its plans to electrify its 10,000 fleet assets and utilise data and improved fleet planning to deliver more efficient services by 2030.

This was revealed last week, when the City’s Corporate Services Directorate and the Western Cape Government co-hosted the Future of Fleet: The Road to 2030 and Beyond Symposium and Exhibition.

Theresa Uys, Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, said the City aims to build a fleet that serves Cape Town reliably today, but is also ready for tomorrow’s demands.

“Every investment must support that purpose: keeping essential services moving, using public resources responsibly and preparing our people for change,” she said.

A major step toward this goal has been taken, with Urban Mobility Executive Director Regan Melody confirming that 38 battery-electric MyCiTi buses for the metro-south-east expansion will be delivered by March 2027.

According to the City, the expansion is expected to benefit 1.4 million residents across 30 neighbourhoods.

An exhibition showcased the latest electric vehicle technology, tracking and monitoring devices and charging solutions, including a new MyCiTi electric bus.

During the demonstration, Stellenbosch University’s Professor Thinus Booysen highlighted that successful fleet electrification involves more than just buying electric vehicles.

He said it entails choosing vehicles suited to specific tasks, charging infrastructure, reliable data, and training technicians and fleet teams essential to the transition to electric.

“Electric vehicles offer fleet operators an opportunity to reduce operating costs and improve efficiency over time,” added the University of Cape Town’s Professor Marianne Vanderschuren.

“However, the transition needs to be carefully planned, with the right battery sizes, affordable vehicles and accessible charging infrastructure to meet the needs of different fleets.”

Cape Town’s New Energy Vehicle Adoption Plan aims to guide decisions on where and how EVs will be introduced across operations.

“With approximately 10 000 fleet assets, Fleet Management has a significant responsibility to consider how the City can transition towards more sustainable and lower-carbon fleet solutions,” said Uys.

“This is not simply about purchasing electric vehicles, but requires careful consideration of infrastructure, operational requirements, costs, partnerships and long-term planning.”

A new chapter for MyCiti buses

The first electric MyCiTi bus has already arrived in Cape Town, and the first e-buses will begin operating by 1 July 2027 between Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha, Wynberg and Claremont, as well as in the CBD.

The first bus, manufactured in Johannesburg, will serve as a prototype to pilot the new technology on different routes to evaluate its performance.

This includes steep inclines and descents, long-distance routes, heavy traffic during peak commuting times, and urban environments with frequent stop-and-go traffic.

The 38-bus fleet will comprise 12-metre Volvo BZRLE electric models, which have been designed in South Africa and will be manufactured in Gauteng.

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, explained that the MyCiTi service is now 16 years old.

“The arrival of our first e-bus is a major highlight in this journey and supports our transition towards a cleaner, more sustainable public transport system that is not only more cost-effective to operate and maintain, but more resilient,” he added.

“Some countries operating e-buses have noted a reduction of up to 70% in operating costs. We are eager to see how this bus performs in our local environment, in particular as we are operating in an increasingly volatile global energy market.”

The City’s plan is to test the new bus on several popular routes, including Hospital Bend, the N2 highway, Camps Bay, and Polkadraai Road and Jip de Jager Drive.

“While the pilot will evaluate the vehicle under different operating conditions across the city, the electric bus fleet is earmarked for deployment as part of the roll-out of the second phase of the MyCiTi bus service,” said Quintas.