Rapid Bus, the operator of the Rapid KL bus in the Klang Valley, has announced a trial run of electric buses for selected routes. The trial involves four EV bus units and will last for three months, ending on June 13, 2022.
Two test routes involving battery-powered BYD buses are Route 400 from Damai Perdana to Lebuh Pudu Center via Bukit Bintang; and Route 650 from Taman Desa to Central Pasar Seni.
Rapid Bus says the EV bus testing is in line with the company’s transition plan through its Bus Electrification Plan, in which existing diesel-powered buses will be replaced by electric buses, phased, by 2030.
The company pointed out that it started using electric buses in 2015 on the Sunway BRT Line, is a controlled environment because the buses there travel on the elevated roadway with no other traffic. Rapid Bus says that the 15 EV buses there have covered more than 659,000 kilometers and are powered by overnight charging.
“This initiative is also in line with Prasarana’s environmental policy commitment and the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12), which aims to be carbon neutral by 2050,” said Rapid Bus CEO. , said Mohammad Yazurin Sallij, who hopes that commuters and residents living along the test routes will test drive the EV bus and give the company feedback.
