SLTB, Hungarian firm to run 2,000 electric and hybrid buses

Some 2,000 electric and hybrid buses are to be operated under a Public-Private Partnership ( PPP) project involving a Hungarian company, a senior Transport Ministry official said.

Transport Ministry Secretary G. S. Withanage told the Sunday Times Cabinet approval was being sought for the project which will be totally handed over to the Sri Lankan government in ten years.

“We will not have to invest money in the project and the buses will operate on a profit sharing basis with 85 percent of the profits going to the Hungarian company and the rest to Sri Lanka during the 10- year period," secretary Withanage said.

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An electric bus is estimated to cost Rs 50 million while a hybrid bus will cost Rs 30 million.

As part of the project, which will come as a joint venture with the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), the local depots will be used for the parking of the buses and maintenance work. Local drivers will be trained while the Hungarian company will maintain the buses with their technicians.

Under the project the Hungarian company will install charging points for the electric buses, free of charge.

Under the first stage the government plans to import 750 hybrid buses and 250 electric buses. An order for another 1,000 buses will be placed thereafter.

SLTB Chairman Ramal Siriwardena said the buses would be mostly deployed in the Western Province, in main towns, and on the expressway.

He said the buses also would replace some of SLTB's outstation buses and plans were afoot to set up new bus routes.