At a ceremony on Wednesday, attended by the Minister of Transport, Bermuda’s Department of Public Transportation launched the first of 30 electric buses into service on the island, comprising a third of its public bus fleet.
The electric buses are replacing antiquated diesel-powered buses, cutting capital, maintenance and operations costs in half – saving $10 million over the buses’ lifetime. Once the entire fleet is electrified, the electric buses will avoid emissions equivalent to removing at least 1,500 cars from the roads per year.
In 2018, the Department of Public Transportation, in collaboration with RMI, launched the project to electrify Bermuda’s buses making its public transport more energy efficient and the island more resistant to the impacts of climate change and geopolitical energy crises.
RMI provided the Government of Bermuda with technical and strategic research, analysis, and thought leadership throughout the bus electrification project to support the nation in pioneering the way for public vehicle electrification in the region.
“We hope we [Bermuda] can stand as a beacon to other island communities as to what can be done when you adopt e-mobility,” said Walter Roban, Bermuda Acting Premier and Minister of Home Affairs. These buses will be quieter, cleaner and, ultimately, less expensive than the diesel fleet we have now.”
“I can confidently say that the deployment of these buses is a huge milestone,” said EJ Klock-McCook, “not only because it positions Bermuda as one of the leaders in electric public transportation in the region, but also, the level of intentional ambition Bermuda has accomplished is exactly what we need to see on a global scale to address the climate crisis. And Bermuda has demonstrated the blueprint to make it possible.”
Due to cost savings from electrifying public transportation, Bermuda will be able to add more buses on the roads, increasing reliability, which has been a key goal of the public bus service. Bermuda plans to fully electrify its public transport bus fleet by 2030.
