Public electric bus transportation begins in Lagos

Public electric bus transportation begins in Lagos

A pilot scheme of using electric buses for public transportation has commenced in Lagos.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this in a statement on Sunday as part of the state mass transit master plan.

The governor said the project would be executed in conjunction with Oando Plc, expected to provide the needed changing stations in designated areas.

It was learnt that the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and Oando Clean Energy Limited (OCEL) will be jointly involved in the project.

They signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday April 28 for the successful deployment of electric buses, charging stations, and other supporting infrastructure towards the attainment of a sustainable road transport system in the state.

Sanwo-Olu said the trial run would last a few months testing it’s efficiency before the project proper kicks in.

Already, he said the first set of electric buses had arrived in the city for the project.

He also announced plans to establish an assembly plant for electric buses in the near future.

The governor’s statement read, “I am excited to announce the first set of electric buses in the Lagos Mass Transit Master Plan as part of our increased effort to modernise every sector of Lagos. Thanks to our partnership with @Oando_PLC, Lagosians can expect a cleaner and greener public transportation system.

“With the ability to travel 280km at full charge, taking into account our unique travel times in Lagos, our electric buses are a game-changer. With an average daily usage of 200km by existing BRTs, there is no need to fear that the buses can stop while in transit.

“Our new electric buses will not only reduce carbon emissions but will also increase efficiency. This means that Lagosians can say goodbye to high fuel costs and hello to cost-efficient transportation.

“We shall be running a pilot scheme over the next few months to gather sufficient data required to analyse the operational efficiencies relative to the current BRT buses to further improve our public transport service.

“This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to creating a sustainable future for Lagos.

“We understand the need for charging stations to power our electric buses, which is why we are partnering with Oando Clean Energy Limited to strategically place Universal Chargers at public places like malls and gas stations. “We also plan to establish an Assembly Plant for Electric Buses in the near future.

“This is just the beginning of our efforts to transform Lagos into an even smarter city as we continue to increase our fleet of electric vehicles, further modernizing the Lagos transportation system. Join us in embracing the future of mobility in Lagos.”

Public electric bus transportation begins in Lagos