The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Monday, December 15, that it has purchased 660 new electric buses. These buses will gradually start serving passengers from the end of 2026.
The new electric buses are set to replace older diesel buses that are reaching the end of their statutory lifespan, LTA said in a news release.
Details of the Purchase
Six contracts were awarded for this batch of buses. Out of the 660 buses, 360 will be single-deck, while 300 will be double-deck buses. This also marks the LTA’s first large-scale purchase of electric double-deck buses.
“LTA is committed to having a 100 per cent cleaner energy bus fleet by 2040,” the authority said. They added, “By 2030, electric buses are expected to make up half of our public bus fleet. More tenders for electric buses will be called in the coming years.”
Which Companies Are Supplying the Buses
The contracts were awarded to four companies: ST Engineering Mobility Services, BYD, Yutong, and Cycle & Carriage Automotive.
- ST Engineering will supply 100 electric single-deck buses for S$35.7 million and 150 electric double-deck buses for S$79 million.
- BYD (Singapore) will provide 160 electric single-deck buses for S$71.3 million and 50 double-deck buses for S$34.5 million.
- Cycle & Carriage Automotive will deliver 100 electric double-deck buses at S$57.8 million.
- Yutong International Trade – Yutong Bus Consortium will supply 100 electric single-deck buses at S$43.9 million.
Features and Safety of the New Buses
The new buses will feature upgraded battery technology and increased capacity. They will also have passenger information display systems. For safety, the buses will be equipped with collision warning systems, a driver anti-fatigue monitoring system, and a camera mirror system to help bus captains.
LTA’s Plan for a Cleaner Fleet
This purchase is part of Singapore’s effort to transition to a cleaner public bus fleet. LTA had previously awarded its first large-scale electric bus tender in November 2023 and plans to fully deploy 420 of those buses by early 2026.
