Taipei opens e-bus charging station, aims for 1,000 e-buses by year-end

Taipei, July 2 (CNA) An electric bus charging facility at Taipei Metro's Beitou Depot officially opened Wednesday, featuring 22 charging bays to serve the city's 886 electric buses.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the facility's opening, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city aims to fully electrify its bus fleet by 2030.

He noted the number of electric buses has grown from around 650 last year to 886 currently and is expected to surpass 1,000 by the end of the year.

Chiang said placing the charging station within a metro depot optimizes land and energy use, as the metro consumes power mainly during the day while electric buses charge at night.

Chiang also said that during a recent visit to Paris for the Mayors' Summit marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, he shared Taipei's practices in waste management and green transportation.

He added that Taipei is set to host the World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems in 2029, where it will showcase its advancements to the global community.

Meanwhile, the Taipei Department of Transportation said in a statement Wednesday that the charging site will operate from midnight to 6 a.m., allowing buses to recharge during off-peak hours.

Ho Cheng (賀政), chairman of Danan Bus Co., which built the facility, said at the ceremony that as of July 1, the company has introduced 21 electric buses on Route 288, running from Shilin District to Taipei City Hall.

Danan Bus said the total investment in related infrastructure was about NT$90 million (US$3.1 million), jointly funded by the company and Taipei City government, each contributing 50 percent.

The company said each bus requires about 3.5 hours to fully charge, adding that charging during off-peak hours cuts costs significantly, with electricity priced at NT$3 per kWh off-peak compared to NT$10 during the day.

To ensure public safety at the station, Danan Bus said it invested NT$400,000 in firefighting equipment.