Egypt will locally manufacture 100 electric buses to operate on the 110-kilometre Ring Road in Greater Cairo as part of the newly introduced eco-friendly Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
The overall cost will be EGP 680 million as per a contract signed between two local companies affiliated with the ministries of transport and military production, said a statement by the transport ministry.
The companies are the Arab Union Land Transport and Tourism Company (Super Jet), which is affiliated with the transport ministry, and the Armored Vehicles Production and Repair Factory (Factory 200 Military), which is affiliated with the National Authority for Military Production.
Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir stressed during the signing ceremony that the reliance on local manufacturing components in the BRT project instead of importing them aims to save hard currency.
The reliance on local products will also help create job opportunities, meet the needs of the local market, and pave the way for export to North African and Arab countries, the statement cited El-Wazir as saying.
The contract, he added, also comes in response to the presidential directives to localize the transport industry, including eco-friendly electric buses, with the rate of local manufacturing to initially range between 50-60 percent and then gradually reach 100 percent.
The contract marks a major breakthrough in the manufacture of electric buses in Egypt, El-Wazir said, noting that the 100 buses will work in the first phase of the BRT project.
Source: Al-Ahram
Online
