To reduce the carbon footprint of public transport, LTA has committed to a 100% cleaner energy public bus fleet by 2040 and for all new public bus purchases to be cleaner energy bus models since March 2020.
40 electric buses have been deployed for passenger service since November 2020. They were supplied by BYD (20 single-deck buses) and the Yutong-NARI Consortium (10 single and 10 double-deck buses). From today, an additional 20 single-deck electric buses purchased from ST Engineering Mobility Services (STEMoS) will be progressively deployed on Services 38, 40, 176 and 976.
Pantograph charging infrastructure for electric buses
Unlike the 40 existing electric buses which use plug-in charging, the 20 new electric buses will be charged using pantograph chargers, which are located at Bedok and Bukit Panjang Bus Interchanges under LTA’s electric vehicle (EV) charger regulatory sandbox regime. Such sandboxes help support the testing of novel charging technologies that could be included into Singapore’s national EV charging standards.
With pantograph charging, electric buses are charged at a higher power rating of up to 450kW during their short lay-over time of 10 to 15 minutes at bus interchanges. When activated by the bus captain, the pantograph charger mounted overhead at the designated parking lot will lower its connector.
Quieter bus journeys and additional commuter-friendly features
Passengers can expect quieter bus journeys and more commuter-friendly features on these buses. Using an electric motor, an electric bus generates an ambient noise level of around 75 decibels, 3 decibels lower than that of a typical Euro 6 diesel bus in our current fleet. The buses also come with an additional third door to encourage commuters to move to the rear for better commuter flow.
Similar to the other 40 electric buses, these new electric buses are equipped with passenger information display systems to show route-specific information such as upcoming bus stops and destinations. To allow easier access for parents with open strollers, the front door of these buses does not have any centre pole, unlike our existing buses. Wheelchair users will continue to board and disembark from the middle door of the bus through the ramp, with assistance from the bus captain.
Annex: Visuals of the electric buses
