Bus enthusiasts sang in a Kwun Tong terminus yesterday to welcome the first electric Kowloon Motor Bus double-decker put into service.
Traveling on route 213M between On Tai in Kwun Tong and Lam Tin Station, the BYD electric bus attracted bus fanatics waiting at the terminus before the first voyage at 11am, and singing a parody version of Greensleeves to show their excitement.
That was a song that a rail enthusiast sang in a TV interview during the launch of the Tuen Ma MTR line in June 2021.
The double-decker electric bus departed on time for its first trip and due to the large number of passengers, an additional bus had to be deployed on the spot. KMB distributed First Voyage Certificates and stainless steel straw sets as souvenirs to the first batch of passengers.
Some passengers said they missed the first electric bus service by Citybus in June last year and hoped to ease their regrets this time.
The first passenger in line was a student, Chan, who will be a secondary five student in September. He said he arrived at the station at 7 am. "I've ridden single-decker electric buses before and they're okay going uphill. I'm looking forward to see how the double-decker bus will perform," he said
Another passenger in the front row brought a recorder to capture the sound of the electric bus stopping at the station.
Other passengers came from the mainland and expressed their excitement at coming to Hong Kong specifically to ride the electric bus in the morning because this type of bus was relatively rare in the mainland. Some passengers thought the electric bus performed better overall than traditional buses.
The first driver of the double-decker electric bus, Chan Wai-leung, said he was very nervous and honored. He believed that the difference between the electric bus and traditional buses was that "the electric bus is quieter and more comfortable to drive, but overall, the performance is similar."
Chan also said that the electric bus has strong power when going uphill. "It can go up the slope at around 30 to 40 kilometer an hour." He believe electric buses were more environmentally friendly and would be a major trend in the future.
KMB says the new buses are equipped with eco-friendly facilities, including LED lighting for compartment illumination and the solar panels on the vehicle's top.
Whereas meeting zero-emission standards is a must for these new buses, they are also equipped to provide passengers with free 5G WiFi Internet service and USB charging ports.
The electric buses also feature water-cooling and battery management systems that effectively manage the battery temperature and monitor the battery status to extend the battery life.
During deceleration, some of the kinetic energy can be converted into electrical energy for recovery, enhancing battery efficiency.
KMB has two electric buses that have obtained licenses and can operate, and hopes to put 52 electric buses into service this year.
