ISTANBUL
Turkey’s "first solar-powered public bus" will hit the roads of Istanbul on Thursday as part of the Turkish city’s initiative to reduce the impact of carbon emission on the environment.
The Istanbul Electric Tram and Tunnel Company (IETT), the city’s public bus company, introduced the environment-friendly bus project at a press conference in Istanbul on Wednesday.
“Millions of people use public transportation. Thanks to this project, we aim to reduce carbon emission and provide fuel savings,” Fatmanur Yilmaz, the company’s environmental engineer, said.
The company will launch only one bus on Thursday, but would launch several more in the coming days.
Serving more than 14 million inhabitants, public transport in Istanbul makes up 30 percent of the city's total daily transportation.
The words: “we thought of the future and used solar power in the public transportation” will be inscribed on the sides of the solar-powered bus, which has 15 sun panels fitted on the roof of the vehicles.
While the bus itself will run on gas, the solar panels will support the vehicle’s battery and all electrical systems, including TVs, Wi-Fi and cameras.
“The project will raise environment awareness among people,” Yilmaz added.
In October 2014, the company also introduced another eco-friendly Botobus, which had an organic rooftop garden.
