TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chiayi County is upgrading its bus fleet with new electric vehicles that increase the share of accessible buses and add new safety features, including advanced driver assistance systems, alcohol interlocks, and blind-spot detection.

The county has bought 10 low-carbon electric buses and built a new charging depot for NT$113.21 million (US$3.5 million). The vehicles were unveiled at the Chiayi County Bus Administration in a ceremony attended by Magistrate Weng Chang-liang (翁章梁) and other officials, who also honored 10 outstanding drivers for their service, per CNA.

Each bus is fitted with a 282-kilowatt-hour battery and can run about 230 kilometers on a full charge. This is enough to cover the typical 200-km daily route.

Replacing 10 diesel buses with these models is expected to save around NT$2.83 million in fuel costs a year and reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 200 tonnes.

The new buses have 24 seats and two wheelchair spaces. The bus authority plans to purchase six more similar vehicles next year, which would bring the proportion of accessible buses in the fleet to 80.7%.

County officials said the Taiwan-developed, low-floor vehicles are designed to make boarding smoother, while annual accessibility training and a best-driver selection program are used to strengthen drivers’ communication skills and emergency response.