Egypt to manufacture electric buses starting Nov.

CAIRO – 23 February 2020: Egypt will begin manufacturing electric buses by November with a potential production capacity of 500 buses every year, Minister of Military Production Mohamed Al-Assar announced on Sunday.

The ministry signed an agreement with Foton Motor Chinese company which designs and manufactures trucks and buses, to manufacture 2,000 buses over four years, which can be increased to 5,000 buses.

He noted that charging stations will be established in parallel with the manufacture of electric vehicles following partnering with specialized companies in this field, adding that electric tourist buses will have special specifications that differ from buses inside cities.

The ministry is mandated to coordinate with various state authorities to spread, encourage and settle the electric car industry in Egypt.

El-Assar further noted that the ministry has already held seven meetings so far to set some strategic aspects and topics, which will be presented to the Prime Minister upon completion.

He further explained that the ministry is adopting the idea of manufacturing electric vehicles because of its advantages, including the low cost of maintenance.

Last Dec., Cairo launched on a test ride for the governorate’s first electric public transport bus, during a ceremony at Abdeen Square in Downtown.

The electric vehicle dubbed City Bus is air-conditioned, and friendly to the elderly and wheelchair users. The vehicle contains six surveillance cameras, USB outlets, and a luggage rack.

The electric bus was announced to be able to run for 200 kilometers per 30-minute-long charge but a battery is added to prolong the duration. That type of bus saves around 70 percent of the value of diesel used in regular counterparts.