Singapore launches tender for 660 electric buses

The tender is for 360 single-deck and 300 double-decker buses, local media reports. According to authorities, the new electric vehicles should hit the road by the end of 2027.

To qualify, the vehicles need to be equipped with specific features, such as an automatic fire suppression that can detect and put out fires on the bus. It is supposed to create an audio and visual alarm for the driver and reduce the bus’ speed so it can move to the site of the road, LTA said on the government procurement portal GeBiz. The vehicles should also have a collision detection system and information display systems for passengers.

This comes after the transport ministry announced that, starting in January 2026, it would provide 40,000 Singaporean dollars (about 28,000 euros) in incentives for every new electric commercial vehicle registered. That includes electric buses. The scheme will run until the end of 2028.

According to The Straits Times, there are some 5,800 public buses in Singapore, 480 of them are electric. The new order would thus bring the total number of electric buses to 1,140.

Singapore’s LTA had ordered 360 electric buses from BYD and Zhongtong Bus in 2023. Specifically 240 units from BYD and 120 from Zhongtong Bus. These were to be gradually delivered by the end of 2024.

The current tender will be open until 22 May. The LTA said on social media that it wants to procure a total of 2,000 new electric buses in the next five years. Its goal is to have “100% cleaner energy public bus fleet by 2040.”

straitstimes.com, facebook.com, gebiz.gov.sg (tender)