The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced the arrival of the first set of electric buses for the state’s mass transit scheme.
Mr Sanwo-Olu made the announcement on Sunday via his Twitter handle.
“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 modernize every sector of Lagos,” he tweeted.
“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.”
The governor said the new electric buses will reduce carbon emissions and 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,” he said.
“This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to creating a sustainable future for Lagos.”
‘Charging Stations’
Speaking on how the electric buses will be charged, Mr Sanwo-Olu said the government will partner 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.”
The governor who promised to increase the fleet of electric vehicles in the state said that the move is part of the government’s effort to transform the state into a smart city.