Will Africa skip the era of diesel buses?

Bus Rapid Transit with electric buses

Bus Rapid Transit, also known as BRT or Busway, is a bus-based transportation system whose transport capacity is increased by an adapted infrastructure. The trend towards these vehicles is gaining importance worldwide as an efficient and environmentally friendly solution for urban transportation. In Africa in particular, the enormous potential of BRT to solve the mobility problems of growing cities while contributing to climate protection is becoming increasingly apparent. One impressive example is the new electric Bus Rapid Transit in Dakar, Senegal, which is completely replacing trams and suburban trains.

Benefits of Bus Rapid Transit systems

BRT systems offer many advantages over conventional transit. They are cost-effective, can be implemented quickly and offer high capacity. Separate lanes and prioritized traffic signals reduce travel time and improve reliability. This leads to a significant reduction in traffic jams and improved air quality in cities.

Africa skips the era of diesel busses

Africa has a unique opportunity to skip technologies and move directly to modern solutions. Similar to the transition from landlines to cell phones or from cash to card payments, Senegal is moving directly to electric buses instead of traditional fuel buses. Dakar’s BRT system has more than 120 electric buses, saving 59,000 tons of CO2 per year and creating more than 1,000 new jobs.

Senegal: A pioneer in e-mobility

The new BRT system in Senegal’s capital is an impressive example of how electric mobility can revolutionize urban transportation infrastructure. The project demonstrates how technological innovation can not only help reduce emissions, but also improve the quality of life for residents. The efficient use of the charge management system MOBILEcharge makes a significant contribution to optimizing these processes.

Trip to Africa with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

The recent trip to Africa by our German business delegation, led by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, was an important step in promoting these technologies. CarMedialab’s Managing Director Henri Depe Tchatchu had the honor of joining this trip. In Dakar, the delegation met with political leaders and visited the new BRT system. Henri Depe Tchatchu took the opportunity to present the advantages of CarMedialab’s charge management system MOBILEcharge and to discuss the success of this project with the Foreign Minister.

MOBILEcharge: Optimized charge management for electric buses

A key aspect of the efficiency of BRT systems is the charge management of electric buses. This is where CarMedialab’s software comes into play. This innovative solution makes it possible to control the charging processes of the buses intelligently and cost-efficiently. By taking into account battery status, charging time and network capacity, MOBILEcharge helps to maximize battery life and minimize operating costs.

Henri Depe Tchatchu explains: “MOBILEcharge is a charge management system for electric buses that allows buses to be charged quickly and intelligently, taking into account costs, the state of the batteries and the power supply.”

This demonstrates the central role of a charge management system in the successful implementation of BRT projects.

Conclusion

The BRT trend in Africa shows the enormous potential for innovative transportation solutions that are environmentally and economically beneficial. By implementing intelligent charge management systems such as MOBILEcharge, the efficiency of BRT projects can be further increased. Africa with its dynamic development and ambition to take advantage of technological progress could play a leading role in the global transition to sustainable transportation solutions. CarMedialab looks forward to being a part of this exciting development and to bringing innovative technologies to more African cities.