To meet global climate goals, ITDP research shows that cities must both reduce vehicle trips and electrify the remaining vehicles. Electrification discussions often focus on private cars, which dominate trips in high-income countries. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), however, most trips occur on public transport and two-wheelers — segments that have received less attention. Electrifying public buses is a key strategy to decarbonize urban transport, reduce vehicle numbers, and improve efficiency. Yet high upfront costs and infrastructure challenges have continued to slow down adoption across LMICs.
In 2025, Dakar, Senegal, commenced full operations for the region’s first all-electric bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor. The 18-kilometer, 23-station, center-running BRT operates along the city’s north-south axis with over 120 e-buses. The project’s inception to implementation and launch took more than 20 years, beginning in 2002 when the U.S. development agency USAID provided funding for sustainable transport projects in Senegal, Ghana, and South Africa.
The post What Cities Can Learn from the Africa Region’s First Electric BRT first appeared on Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.
