A superbus, capable of carrying 23 passengers at speeds of up to 250km per hour is to undergo tests in Abu Dhabi.
The Superbus concept, which could cut the travel time between Abu Dhabi and Dubai to just 30 minutes, will be trialled by Abu Dhabi Department of Transport.
The test drive will take place after the first prototype version of the Superbus makes its Middle East debut in Dubai at the UITP Mobility and City Transport Expo, starting on April 11.
CLICKÂ FORÂ VIDEO
The electric-powered cross-over between a bus and a limousine is being presented to UAE Government authorities as the future of public transportation for business commuters and tourists.
The Superbus is the brainchild of a design team at TU Delft University of Technology in Holland who have brought the prototype to the UAE after an exploratory initial visit coinciding with last month’s Commercial Vehicles Middle East exhibition and conference in Dubai.
During the visit the Superbus project was presented to senior officials of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority.
“The Superbus will tackle the challenges of mobility, spatial planning, service detail and environmental demands all in one,” said chief designer Antonia Terzi, the Italian former chief aerodynamicist of the BMW-Williams Formula 1 team.
“Superbus will have an intelligent routing system rather than a fixed schedule. Commuters will book online or with their mobile phone, and the bus picks them up and drops them at their desired location.”
The Superbus is 15 metres long and has eight doors on each side. It would run on a dedicated two-lane highway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and leave the “speed track” in urban areas to drop off passengers at agreed locations.
Powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries, the 530bhp carbon fibre vehicle is similar in length and width to a public bus, but with the height of a conventional SUV.
The first Superbus road tests took place in Holland last September.
Although no feasibility studies have been done yet for the Abu Dhabi-Dubai route, the similar Amsterdam-Groningen route has been studied by the Dutch government, with other high speed connection routes currently under evaluation for several other countries around the world
Â
