China is trying to replace its old diesel bus network with electric buses with great success, especially in Shenzhen.
Electric buses in Shenzhen. Photo: Bloomberg
In Shenzhen, electric buses have been the silent warrior in the electrification of China's public transport network, according to AFP . Shenzhen was the first city in the world to phase out diesel buses and switch entirely to electric buses in 2017. A similar change was made to its taxi fleet shortly after. Since then, other Chinese cities have followed suit, with many aiming to convert their entire systems by 2025.
“Electrification is one of the most important strategies to achieve the 2050 net zero carbon target, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), bus decarbonization accounts for about 5% of cumulative emissions reductions in the transport sector.
China now accounts for more than 90% of the world’s electric buses and trucks, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). “It didn’t happen overnight,” says electric vehicle expert Elliot Richards. “It’s the result of years of planning and a lot of infrastructure work. But it’s a huge difference in global awareness.” Budget and planning pressures, lack of expertise, and the difficulty of reconfiguring infrastructure in older cities have prevented other countries from emulating China’s experience, Richards says.
At a bus station in Shenzhen, driver Ou Zhenjian said he had been ferrying passengers around the city for 18 years and had seen a “huge change” with the switch to electric buses. “Electric buses are comfortable to drive, easy to control, and environmentally friendly. They are also quiet,” Ou said.
"When we started the service, we had to solve the problems step by step. Now our electric buses have almost reached the same technical performance as diesel buses in the past," said Ethan Ma, deputy general manager of Shenzhen Bus Group (SZBG).
Electric buses have obvious benefits. In a megacity crisscrossed by four- and five-lane roads, traffic noise is significantly reduced. "Diesel buses emit a lot of dust and smoke. Especially when I walk on the road, the smell of oil makes me very uncomfortable, but now that smell is gone," said a young male passenger.
A World Bank study of SZBG, the city’s largest public transport operator, found that electric buses emitted 52 percent of their operating emissions compared to diesel buses. The analysis took into account that the local grid generates about half its electricity from coal. The researchers concluded that switching to electric buses would save 194,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Pollution in Chinese cities has been a key factor in the central government’s push to prioritize public transport transformation, according to Tu Le, managing director of Sino Auto Insights. Strong government financial support and close collaboration with automaker BYD, now a giant in the electric vehicle sector, have contributed to Shenzhen’s success.
In 2021, China supplied more than 90% of the world’s electric buses, according to ICCT. The changes are having a profound impact. In September, the head of the IEA said that the growth of electric vehicles globally, especially in China, meant that oil demand was on track to peak before 2030, followed by coal “in the next few years.”
Bus systems in 10 other cities in Guangdong province are now fully electric, as is Hangzhou. More than 90% of bus systems in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai have also gone electric. Poor grid development, infrastructure costs, and maintenance issues mean the transition is slower in smaller cities. Still, Le predicts that more than 70% of the country’s bus network will be electrified by 2030.
An Khang (According to AFP )
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