Rapid Penang test-ran two electric buses on October 6 and 7, marking an initial step towards replacing the state’s diesel buses with EV ones, Bernama reports.
“The test run involves two electric buses from different manufacturers, namely a 12-metre Foton bus and an 8.25-metre Golden Dragon bus.
“Both buses will undergo separate test runs on selected routes to assess their suitability and operational capabilities under real-world conditions, including energy consumption, charging performance, passenger safety and comfort,” Rapid Penang said in a statement.
It added that charging infrastructure, maintenance facilities, staff training and other operational support requirements would be provided, and that the EV buses would be introduced in stages after the test runs.
“(The test runs) provide a crucial benchmark to ensure our operations team has sufficient data and experience to assess the performance, capabilities and operational requirements of electric buses under real-world conditions before they are introduced on existing routes,” said Rapid Bus CEO Syahrul Azmir Ahmad Zaki.
Rapid Penang is currently in the first phase of procuring 75 EV buses, with deliveries scheduled in stages through March 2027. The procurement is part of Penang’s ongoing phased bus replacement programme, involving 240 EV buses and 70 new diesel buses.
penang should consider self governing, collecting and spending tax money within their own state, same goes to johor and borneo states, leave other racist states to rot on their own