Electric bus in Taiping in April next year

TAIPING: The electric vehicle (EV) bus is expected to begin operating in Taiping in April next year.

Taiping Municipal Council (MPT) president Khairul Amir Mohamad Zubir said the EV bus was still at its strategic partner's workshop in Cyberjaya awaiting confirmation and approval from all the agencies involved before operating permission was given.

"MPT is now in the final stage of obtaining relevant operating permits from several agencies.

"In fact, two charging centres at MPT workshops in Kamunting and Taman Tasik Taiping have been tested and are working well," he told Bernama recently.

Recently, Perak Health, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Mohd Akmal Kamarudin said MPT was in the final stages of implementing the use of electric buses on the Taiping Heritage Trail which will be undertaken by the council itself, with the aim of it being a catalyst for local heritage tourism.

Mohd Akmal said a middle-sized EV bus which is fully electric has been donated by the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) where this initiative involves the cooperation of several local companies as well as from Japan.

Elaborating further, Khairul Amir said the EV Bus has 22 seats and one seat for person with disabilities (PwD).

The electric bus would begin operating around Taiping up to the Heritage Trail, a distance of 11.5 kilometres, he added.

-- BERNAMA