Mauritius rolls out first fleet of e-buses

From the newsletter 

Mauritius has received its first batch of electric buses from India-based Switch Mobility under a government-to-government agreement. The delivery includes 10 of the planned 100 Switch EiV12 electric buses. This marks the company’s first entry in the growing African market. The bus operations will be handled by the state-owned National Transport Corporation (NTC).

• Switch Mobility produces about 3,000 e-buses annually, far fewer than competitor Golden Dragon (40,000). Chinese auto-giant BYD is also ramping up bus production and eyeing the African market.

• Mauritius operates over 2,000 buses to transport 600,000 daily commuters. Potential is there and could help cut costs for bus operators. 

More details

• The electric buses are powered by floor-mounted lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that enhance stability and include an integrated Fire Detection and Suppression System for safety. Apart from these, the most outstanding feature is the rear-mounted dual-gun charging interface that optimises both charging efficiency and depot space utilisation.

• The 12-metre SWITCH EiV12 buses were manufactured as Fully Built Units (FBUs) at SWITCH’s Chennai facility in India. This highlights Mauritania’s dependence on imports due to the absence of a robust local automotive assembly industry.

• Mauritius lacks a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and relies heavily on conventional buses, with the NTC operating around 430 buses for 21,000 daily passengers. The country should consider an electric one. However, procurement delays from Asian OEMs, as seen with South Africa’s Golden Arrow receiving only 20 of 120 BYD buses so far, highlight potential challenges in scaling electric fleets.

• The lack of sufficient EV maintenance expertise demands essential training of technicians early enough to avoid high operating costs for the planned fleet of 100 e-buses. Building local technical capacity would reduce dependence on importing costly foreign expertise.

• Fiscal policy changes implemented in 2025, such as introducing excise duties of 15% for EVs under 180 kW and 25% for those above, removing the negative excise duty rebate, and ending the 50% Motor Vehicle License discount, risk slowing EV adoption. While tax deductions for fast chargers remain, they may not offset increased upfront costs.

• Electrifying Mauritius’ public transport is feasible given its small size (2,040 km²), population of 1.26 million, and renewable energy potential. Coordinated public-private efforts and exploring an electric BRT system could deliver cleaner, more efficient mobility.

Our take

• In several countries, government-led transport projects have succeeded due to strong funding, clear policy direction, and accountability. Senegal’s electric BRT is a good example, now operating 121 e-buses across 14 communes in Dakar. Mauritius could borrow much from this project, since they share almost a similar fleet size.

• Private sector players could focus on electrifying taxis, delivery vehicles, and motorcycles, where fuel costs and maintenance hit hardest. Those lacking the capacity to transition could partner with EV fleet management companies to handle operations.

• For Mauritius to accelerate its EV transition, robust government support and active industry associations are essential. These bodies can advocate for incentives and push for policy reforms that make the transition more viable.