World's first solar electric bus

City officials in Adelaide, Australia unveiled the first solar electric bus:

The Adelaide City Council has raised the standard in international sustainability with the introduction of the world’s first solar-powered electric bus that is recharged using 100% solar energy. The bus named Tindo, the Kaurna Aboriginal word for ‘sun’ is the newest addition to the Adelaide City Council’s Adelaide Connector Bus service, a free service for the people of Adelaide. For the current Connector Bus timetable and route, click here.Manufactured by New Zealand company Designline International, the bus doesn’t have a combustion engine which makes it a very quiet, zero emissions vehicle. Other features of the vehicle include a regenerative braking system, saving up to 30% energy consumption.

It features high quality, state-of-the-art components sourced from some of the world’s leading transport and technology companies including MAN and Siemens. This system is the largest grid connected solar photovoltaic system in the State, and means the bus is also carbon neutral.

Tindo is air-conditioned and can carry up to 40 passengers, with 25 standard seats, 2 seats especially designed for disabled passengers and room for 13 standing passengers. The bus has covered over 55,000 kilometers since February and saved the Council over 14,000 litres of diesel and saved the environment over 70,000kg of CO2-e in its first year. Tindo is able to travel about 200 kilometres between recharges under typical urban conditions. It also has wireless internet capability making it possible for passengers to easily access the internet for free during travel time.

Meanwhile, Scotland sets a bold goal:

The Scottish government has said it wants the country’s towns and cities to be free of emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles by 2050.It has published a “roadmap” setting out its plans to help businesses and motorists switch to electric vehicles.

The government is to spend more than £14m over the next two years replacing its fleet of petrol and diesel vehicles with electric alternatives.

It will also install charging points at all of its main buildings.

In Norway, Telsa has conquered the competition:

Between Sept. 1 and Sept. 9, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and its Model S not only outsold every electric vehicle in Norway, but every other car, period. The VW Golf has been the best seller in Norway for months, but Bilnorge.no reported that in roughly the first week of this month, the market shares of the nation’s top three cars were the Model S (6.1%), the Golf (4.9%), and the Mazda CX-5 (4.2%).

Finally, Elon Musk and Tesla Motors are set to make a strong push in Germany:

Tesla will have six stores in Germany after adding locations in the coming months in Berlin and Stuttgart, home to Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler AG. The start-up already has sales centers in Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Munich, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s hometown.Tesla is hitting the autobahn just as the German Goliaths start selling their own electrics from dealer networks with hundreds of stores. Musk will also need to win over buyers who traditionally have been loyal to homegrown brands.

“The European home turf belongs to the likes of Daimler, BMW and Audi,” said Bryan Batista, Tesla’s European sales director. “We’re confident that we have a product that stacks up very well.”