Since August, Tel Aviv has been incorporating fully electric buses in the city’s fleet. Not only is the ride smoother and quieter, the carbon footprint is minimal. The CEO of Dan Bus Company, Michael Nagar, hopes that over the next five years, at least a quarter of the city’s fleet will be fully electric.
The buses are from Chinese company BYD (Build Your Dreams) and run on batteries that can go four to five hours before needing to be plugged in to charger. BYD supplies electric buses internationally including cities in Europe, North and South America, and within China.
The buses will be closely monitored by experts over the next year to help officials decide if it’s worth extending green transportation nationwide. The upgrade to the fleet is costing about $112.5 million.