Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) has taken a major step in South Africa’s electric mobility journey, expanding its electric bus fleet to 77 vehicles through a partnership with Chinese Electric Vehicle (EV) giant BYD. The Cape Town-based bus operator plans to have 120 electric buses on the road by the end of 2025, supported by Arrowgate, the country’s largest electric bus charging depot.
Speaking to CapeTalk, Golden Arrow spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyers revealed that Arrowgate currently charges 60 buses simultaneously, with capacity set to double by October 2025.
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“Through exciting partnerships — and unfortunately not much help from government — we’ve now reached the stage where we’ve got 77 buses on the road,” Dyke-Beyers said.
The BYD deal, announced in July 2024, marks a bold move to cut carbon emissions and reduce reliance on diesel. However, it comes at a cost — Golden Arrow has invested R750 million in the project.
“The savings aren’t immediate. The initial capital outlay is much higher, but this is a long-term investment,” Dyke-Beyers explained.
Golden Arrow has already gathered over 700,000km of cost data from its EV fleet and expects to hit two million kilometres by year-end.
The fleet’s 12.5-metre B12 BYD buses feature 65 seats and advanced lithium iron phosphate batteries, paired with BYD’s six-in-one controller for enhanced efficiency. Operating costs are expected to be 70% lower than diesel.
Smart EV Brings Public Charging to Cape Town
Smart EV, the company behind Arrowgate, has launched its first public EV charging station near Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. CEO Mike Pritchard said the aim is to make EV charging accessible across South Africa.
“We started with Africa’s biggest fleet charging station, and now we’re bringing EV charging to everyday users,” Pritchard said.
Golden Arrow’s Arrowgate hub was completed in just four months and delivers a 63% energy saving for the fleet. Smart EV plans to expand its charging solutions for fleet owners, public transport operators, retail developers, and complex managers nationwide.
Golden Arrow Bus Services engineer Gideon Neethling believes the move will set a benchmark for the transport industry.
“We are the only bus company in South Africa operating electric vehicles on this scale — and we believe others will follow.”
