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As one of the most populated countries in the world, China’s urban cities are known for their notorious traffic congestion.
But there is hope that a new design of bus could help ease the country’s traffic woes, and it is set to descend on the roads by the end of this year.
The Transit Elevated Bus (TEB) is a tram-bus hybrid that basically glides over traffic. The vehicle sits high enough off the road so cars and cyclists can pass beneath it. If it works, officials believe this could help maximise the country’s limited road space.
Dubbed the ‘hover bus’, the TEB will run on rails embedded within the roads – much like a tram – and will be powered by electricity fuelled by solar panels on the roof.
The vehicle’s design was unveiled at the 19th China Beijing International High-Tech Expo.
In an interview with CCTV News, Bai Zhiming, engineer in charge of the project, said the TEB can carry up to 1,200 passengers at a time.
“The TEB has the same functions as the subway while its cost of construction is less than one-fifth that of the subway,” he added.
While the TEB appears to be environmentally friendly, questions still remain as to how practical and safe the vehicle will be – especially at points when passengers board and leave the bus.
A 3D video rendering of the project from 2012 shows passengers boarding the bus through an elevator from a station above the bus, and leaving the vehicle using retractable slides.
Trial operations of the ‘hover bus’ are set to begin in Qinhuangdao City in China later this year.
