Tindo made its appearance in Adelaide, Australia in 2007 and it is the world’s first bus powered exclusively by solar power. There are no solar panels on the bus, but it is charged by those located on the city’s main bus station. Its performance is excellent, with 200km autonomy between recharges and acceleration and hill climb on a par with that of a diesel bus!
It can carry up to 40 people (25 seated), it offers free wifi and it is free to ride!
Photo credits: https://vimeo.com/23499562
Solar Buzz made its first run in the streets of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico in January 2016 and it is the state’s first exclusively solar powered bus. Its creator is a woman named Kim Audette. It used to be an electric bus, which was transformed to a solar bus with homemade solar panels. It is now a state-licensed shuttle and you can ride it for a $3 fare.
Photo credits: : http://krqe.com/
Kayoola made its debut on February 14, 2016 in Kampala, Uganda. It has solar panels on the roof (but it can also be electrically charged for longer distances and night journeys) and it is the first of its kind in the African continent. It is a semi-deluxe bus, able to carry 35 seated people, offering inbuilt wifi and accessible power outlets integrated to power seats. It has an autonomy of 80km between charges and can reach a speed of 100 km/hr.
Kiira Motors Corporation and its CEO Paul Isaac Musasiziis are behind the Kayoola solar bus, whose prototype costs $140,000 to produce, but it would come with a significantly lower price tag of $45,000 if mass-produced.
Photo credits: http://kiiramotors.com/
