RHT Bus Services Ltd unveils Project Helios for cleaner mobility in Mauritius

The initiative, presented in the presence of the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Osman Mahomed, at Hennessy Park Hotel in Ébène, seeks to gradually replace 30 diesel buses with 20 electric buses. RHT also plans to develop 5.5 megawatts of solar energy production capacity across three sites to power its electric vehicles. This project aligns with Mauritius's efforts to accelerate the decarbonization of its public transport network, supported by the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility.

RHT previously introduced two fully electric buses in 2019. Minister Osman Mahomed commended RHT's initiative, noting its contribution to the public transport decarbonization policy. He also highlighted existing investments in electrifying Mauritius's bus fleet, including 100 electric buses from India, with approximately 95% operational within the National Transport Corporation NTC by last June.

Osman Mahomed emphasized the importance of combining vehicle electrification with renewable energy development, stating that the transition to electric buses will reduce diesel consumption, direct transport emissions, and operating costs. Siddharth Sharma, General Manager of RHT, explained that the project aims to reduce carbon emissions, as the transport sector accounts for 32.6% of energy-related emissions in the country