Ten electric buses funded by the Ministry of Environmental Affairs have been added to Egged’s fleet in Jerusalem. The first riders who will experience the new buses are those traveling on the 15 line.

Minister of Environmental Affairs Ze’ev Elkin: Jerusalemites deserve to breath clean air. For a first time, in Jerusalem, we are proud to add electric buses to Egged’s system, buses that will significantly reduce the level of pollutant emissions as well as noise caused by the buses with diesel engines. This is good news for Jerusalemites and in the future, dozens of electric buses will operate in the capital. This joins another series of moves by the ministry towards implementing a clean air zone in all of Jerusalem; financing shuttles to employment centers and offering bicycle rentals – so that Jerusalem residents may enjoy both cleaner air and a better quality of life.

The 15 line begins from the central bus station and ends up in Talpiot. The Ministry of the Environment has spent NIS 4 million on the project. The project is a joint venture with the Ministry of Transportation.

In recent years, e-buses have become a preferred alternative in the world of public transportation. The buses provide a response to a number of significant challenges in the field: They save on fuel consumption; they do not pollute, and they are quiet. Technological advances allow electric buses to make longer trips between charging and it is likely that in the coming years, we will see them on the interurban lines as well. The world’s election bus fleet has grown by 32% in 2018 and about 95% of the world’s electric buses are operating and manufactured in China, where the field is undergoing significant research and development.

Charging stations have been installed in the relevant parking lots for the buses in the Ramot Interchange parking facility. A full charge takes five hours and the vehicle is capable of traveling 200km (120 miles) between charges. The buses’ maximum speed limit is 70KPH (42 MPH), about the same as the buses in service today.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)