Five public buses fitted with LED lights are now making the rounds on the streets of Singapore as part of ABB Singapore’s campaign to shine the spotlight on sustainable mobility.
To continue reading, subscribe to Eco‑Business.
There's something for everyone. We offer a range of subscription plans.
- Access our stories and receive our Insights Weekly newsletter with the free EB Member plan.
- Unlock unlimited access to our content and archive with EB Circle.
- Publish your content with EB Premium.
The LED-lit buses are part of an awareness programme called “Ideas to drive Singapore’s future”, which is also timed to coincide with the start of the 2013 European Mobility Week. This annual seven-day event, which started on Monday, aims for cleaner air and a sustainable mobility culture in Europe.
ABB Singapore, the local company of the Zurich-headquartered power and automation firm, said the campaign was to build brand awareness and showcase its products and services which spans from low-, medium-, high-voltage products to motors and generators to robotics and transformers, among many other technological solutions.
ABB said that by being one of the first to use LED lighting on public transport in Singapore, they are able to showcase their innovative spirit. The buses are designed to stand out both night and day to grab the public’s attention.
Currently, five buses are on the go for 18 hours daily. This will be operational for six months, taking in passengers along high-traffic locations such as the central business and financial districts, Orchard Road, residential communities like Ang Mo Kio, Hougang, Tampines, Toa Payoh, and Woodlands, and industrial areas in the East and West of Singapore.
Haider Rashid, head of ABB Singapore, said: “Many people have heard of us somewhere, somehow, but are not sure how we may have impacted their lives.”
ABB’s technologies are deployed in several major industrial and commercial developments around the country. These include electrical transformers at Gardens by the Bay, power and automation systems on the first two phases of the Marina Bay District Cooling System, and energy efficient water pumps at the Marina Barrage.
In terms of sustainable transport, ABB Singapore installed some of the first electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers in the country earlier in May.
These fast chargers are located at the firm’s office and at the Nanyang Technological University campus and the Motor Image showroom at the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Electric vehicles have zero emissions, leading to a more sustainable and energy efficient city, Rashid said previously.
Likewise, the use of public transport, which ABB encourages through their LED-lit buses, is also more eco-friendly compared to gas-powered cars.
ABB Singapore also started a social media campaign so the public can post photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram that show ideas for Singapore’s future. It can be any interesting or inspiring building, technology, or what-have-you, said the firm.
Those keen on joining can simply use the hashtag #futureideasABB and ABB Singapore will choose from the entries.