Egypt yesterday announced the arrival of the first electric bus from China which will service the Alexandria Corniche Road.

Local media, including the state-run Al-Akhbar newspaper, reported that “the first electric bus has arrived in the port of Alexandria coming from the port of Shanghai, China, as part of supply contract that includes 15 electric buses.”

“The new bus is scheduled to enter the transport system after a three-month trial,” said Khalid Eliwa, chairman of the General Authority for Passenger Transport in Alexandria.

“The electric bus can carry 90 passengers and its batteries can be charged every three to four hours, allowing it to travel 250 kilometres without air-conditioning or 210 kilometres with air conditioning on,” he said.

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After the three month trial, he added, Egypt will be ready to receive the 14 other buses which were agreed upon, “to ensure the highest performance under the Egyptian weather”.

Egypt signed a contract for the supply of 15 electric buses from China in January making it the first country in the Middle East to operate such buses.