Cape Town’s municipal bus service, MyCiTi, is taking delivery of its first electric bus in August 2026.

Moneyweb reports that the municipality expects to have a total of 30 electric buses added to its fleet in a year, with operation scheduled for 1 July 2027.

The buses will operate in the metro south east as well as routes along the MyCiTi Phase 2A, which is under construction linking Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain with Wynberg and Claremont.

The first shipment of buses includes 12-metre Volvo BZRLE models with the bus bodies manufactured in Johannesburg.

The mayoral committee member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas, said the City will soon be conducting research with the University of Cape Town to determine how much the municipality will save in operating costs. He noted that some countries using e-buses had recorded savings of up to 70%.

‘The research will help us understand how the electric buses will perform in our local context, and what challenges we need to consider before we roll out the e-bus fleet in 2027,’ Quintas said.

21 April 2026
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