Various research partners recently collaborated to start testing electric minibusses in Stellenbosch.
This is according to Justin Coetzee, chief executive officer of GoMetro, one of the collaborators in this project.
The other partners involved in this project are Stellenbosch University (SU), Mixtelematics and AC/DC Dynamics. The organisations are working together to test the vehicle in the field, added Coetzee.
“The research assessment for electric minibusses started in 2018 and involves about three of the [SU engineering] faculty’s students.” This is according to Prof Thinus Booysen, chairperson SU’s faculty of engineering’s internet of things division. PHOTO: Supplied/Thinus Booysen
“The research being done is specifically on finding various models for electric minibusses,” explained Coetzee.
Local minibus testing by September
“The research assessment for electric minibusses started in 2018 and involves three of the [SU engineering] faculty’s students,” said Prof Thinus Booysen, chairperson of the faculty’s electrical and electronic department’s internet of things division.
SU’s role in the research project is to assess the impact that the electrically operated minibusses will have on South Africa’s electricity grid, as well as how it will perform on local infrastructure, according to Booysen.
Although one electric minibus is being imported from China for research testing, an additional vehicle will be retrofitted to become an electric minibus, explained Booysen. “What this means is that we will take an old minibus taxi and convert it into an electric one by replacing the engine,” he stated.
The testing will take place in Stellenbosch and is aimed to commence as early as September, said Booysen.
Various collaborators, including Stellenbosch University, are currently doing research to commence the testing of electric minibusses in Stellenbosch. This is according to Justin Coetzee, chief executive officer of GoMetro, one of the collaborators in this project. PHOTO: Micaleb Lawrence
Gearing up local infrastructure
“The municipality has availed six parking bays for the electric vehicles to be charged in Stellenbosch,” said Booysen. In addition, SU is working with Oxford University to install solar panels on the rooftop of a taxi rank in order to charge the electric vehicles, explained Booysen.
The potential of electric minibusses on South African roads have significant sustainability benefits, according to Coetzee. This is because many automotive companies are moving away from manufacturing fuel-operated vehicles for both cost and energy conservation reasons, he explained.
Professor Thinus Booysen from Stellenbosch University’s faculty of engineering explains the process of testing for electric minibusses and what research the faculty and their partners have been doing to ensure the success of electric minibusses on South African roads. AUDIO: Micaleb Lawrence
“Various taxi associations are enthusiastic about the potential of electric minibusses,” said Coetzee.
“If the state can provide us [taxi drivers and owners] with electric vehicles for free, it will benefit us, considering the constant increase of fuel prices,” said Clement Rhode, a local taxi driver.
Stellenbosch Municipality is not directly involved in this research project, said Stuart Grobbelaar, the municipality’s spokesperson, via email correspondence with MatieMedia.