Dubai’s roads and transport authority (RTA) has launched a trial run of two electric buses between La Mer South, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz street and Al Sufouh tram station. The launch is coordinated with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Volvo Bus Company, Meraas Real Estate, and ABB Group, reflecting RTA’s efforts to provide sustainable and environmentally-friendly mass transit means.
The two buses are fitted with Opportunity Charging technology, which is experimented for the first time in Dubai. Buses are charged by a standing electric charger supplied by ABB Group at La Mer South. A night electric charger is provided at Al Quoz Bus Depot to run the night charging when the two buses are out of service. Therefore, buses can be electrically charged either through a pantograph using a standing arm under which the bus is parked at La Mer, or cables connecting direct and alternate currents (DC and AC).
Each bus is equipped with modern batteries that enable it to travel 200 km when fully charged. The length of the distance traveled is a function of several factors such as the terrain of the road, temperature, and the operation of the air conditioners. Each bus has 38 seats in addition to 3 foldable seats, a place for people of determination, and an interactive display screen.
Operational efficiency
During the trial period, which will continue until March 2022, RTA will measure the operational efficiency of the two electric buses and experiment the charging of electric buses. It will train drivers on driving the electric bus and familiarize them with the bus system. It will also train controllers on monitoring the electric bus and the charging unit.
“This unique and comprehensive electric bus charging system that uses the Opportunity Charging technique for operating electric buses on a specific path responds to the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai themed: ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development.’ It is part of RTA’s initiatives to support the use of eco-friendly vehicles and sustainable transit means. It concurs with the Dubai Government’s energy and carbon strategy aimed to make Dubai a model in the efficient use of energy and reduced carbon emissions,” said His Excellency Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, director-general, chairman of the board of executive directors, RTA.
“The project is a unique example of integrated efforts of government departments as well as public-private partnerships (PPP). It illustrates the integrated efforts of RTA, DEWA, Volvo Bus Co, Meraas Real Estate and ABB Group aimed to promote sustainable transport in Dubai and reduce carbon emissions of the transport sector,” he noted.
“RTA attaches top priority to environmental conservation and power-saving policies and sets safety and environmental sustainability as one of its strategic goals. It, therefore, seeks to keep pace with the latest technologies of manufacturing buses, electric batteries, and various charging systems. It underscores the intention to add electric buses to the RTA fleet in the future to ensure the operation of safe, smooth, and sustainable mass transit means. It is recalled that RTA had launched a series of projects and initiatives to leverage sustainable transport including the trial run of electric buses and the operation of hydrogen or water-powered taxis,” concluded Al Tayer.
Promising initiatives
RTA managed to convert 50% of the total Dubai Taxi fleet into environmentally-friendly hybrid vehicles in 2020 and intends to convert the entire taxi fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles by 2027. In December 2019, it launched the trial run of the first hydrogen taxi in the Middle East and deployed it as a limo service at the Dubai International Airport.