An e-mobility award was presented to the Government in recognition of “strides made in advancing the electric bus fleet”, the transport ministry said today.

Wayne Furbert accepted the trophy at a ceremony organised by the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum.

In his acceptance speech, the Minister of Transport thanked his ministry, the Department of Energy, the Department of Public Transportation and the Rocky Mountain Institute for their commitment and contributions.

A government statement added: “This collaborative effort has been instrumental in achieving Bermuda's e-mobility milestones.”

Mr Furbert said: “We are delighted to announce that over 60 per cent of our fleet now operates on electric power, supported by a robust infrastructure of 38 charging stations strategically positioned across three locations throughout the island.

“As we commemorate the two-year milestone since the arrival of the initial 30 electric buses on the island, it is noteworthy that these vehicles have contributed to significant environmental benefits and resulted in substantial financial savings for the Department of Public Transportation.

“Over the past two years, they have collectively saved approximately $350,000 in fuel costs and prevented the consumption of nearly a million litres of diesel fuel.

“The current fleet of 70 buses is projected to avoid just under $500,000 in diesel fuel costs every year, thus rapidly recovering the purchase cost of the buses and continuing to bring environmental and health benefits to all Bermudians.”

He added: “Due to their electric engines, which are more efficient than diesel engines, the buses emit 35 per cent less carbon dioxide than comparable diesel buses.

“In two years, they have saved well over a million tons of CO₂, equivalent to the emissions from over 500 personal combustion engine cars in Bermuda.

“These EVs will deliver significant savings, exceeding $10 million over their life span. But the benefits go beyond the economics, with cleaner air, quieter roads and fewer greenhouse gas emissions — these are all wins for Bermuda's environment and our planet.

“Our commitment to fleet electrification continues through a phased approach, with our most recent phase boasting buses with 40 per cent more battery capacity and even charging ports for passengers on the go. The ride keeps getting better.

"Again, Bermuda is grateful for this prestigious award. We are extremely honoured to be part of CREF and look forward to sharing our progress on e-mobility and other projects in the years to come."

The statement added that this is the second year the e-mobility award was given by the CREF to the Government of Bermuda.