Rapid Bus begins bus electrification program – 100 EV buses in phase one, 481 in phase two
Rapid Bus, the operator of Rapid KL buses in the Klang Valley, is about to expand its fleet with electric bus as part of the bus fleet electrification program. Transport Secretary Anthony Loke said the initiative would be phased in through two phases starting this year.
Subsidiary Prasarana plans to purchase 100 electric buses in phase one of the program and they will be rolled out in the Klang Valley and Penang. The procurement process will be phased in and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2024.
Meanwhile, phase two will see the acquisition of 481 new electric buses from 2025, with the entire purchase expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2027.
“Prasarana/Rapid Bus’s effort to buy electric buses of various sizes and technologies aims to gain insight into electric bus technology before increasing the number of buses in order to realize the government’s desire to turning Kuala Lumpur into one low carbon city as planned,” Loke said in Dewan Rakyat, responding to additional questions from Zahir Hassan (PH-Wangsa Maju) during the Supply Bill 2023 debate.
“In addition, the government is also looking into the possibility of purchasing electric buses through rental to ensure that the buses received are kept up to date with the latest energy technology developments,” he added.
The gradual move towards the EV bus takes place on test ride of electric bus implemented last April, where four battery-powered BYD buses were deployed for three months on selected routes in the Klang Valley. The two pilot routes are Route 400 from Damai Perdana to Lebuh Pudu Hub via Bukit Bintang; and Route 650 from Taman Desa to Pasar Seni Centre.
