Investigating the operational compatibility of minibus taxis in the city of Tshwane with contemporary electrification technologies: A rule-based approach

The important role of paratransit in African cities drives increased interest in adopting clean energy technologies within the sector. Planning for the potential electrification of minibus taxis is in its early stages, and questions arose on whether the informal, highly variable operational patterns of minibus taxis will be compatible with existing technical limitations of battery-electric technologies. This paper addresses this question by analysing the operational characteristics of a fleet of 206 in-service minibus taxis in the City of Tshwane – South Africa, from the point of view of daily travel distance and charging opportunities. Minibus taxi vehicles were examined for compatibility with three considered charging scenarios: home, depot and depot-and-home charging scenarios. Vehicles are classified using a rule-based approach into groups that are definitely compatible, somewhat compatible, or definitely not compatible with the specified charging scenarios, taking their day-to-day operational variability into account. Results showed that 6% of the minibus taxi fleet are definitely compatible with the home charging scenario, while 9% of the fleet may commence home charging should they adapt their operational pattern or adopt hybrid technologies. No sufficient evidence was found to support depot charging of the vehicles during the day suggesting the need for alternative electrification technologies for the other 85% of the fleet.