A self-driving electric bus went live in Malaysia yesterday. The bus has been through test runs and will now be driving live human passengers on a loop.
According to SoyaCincau, commuters in Putrajaya will be able to board the self-driving electric bus on the city's public transit network for RM1 ($0.24) a trip.
Here's what to know
SoyaCincau reported that public bus service Nadiputra is launching the service on Route P113 in partnership with Handal Indah and eMooVit. The loop will connect MRT Putrajaya Sentral and Dataran Gemilang while passing several major administrative hubs.
Buses are scheduled to run only on weekdays with four departures on the hour from MRT Putrajaya Sentral from 7:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and then again between 2:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., subject to traffic conditions.
People must use Visa or Mastercard bank cards in order to pay for rides.
More background
SoyaCincau reported that the vehicle is likely eMooVit's Kinglong EV bus, which the company has operated since 2022. The same bus had already been used in demo and test runs with Rapid KL on the Sunway BRT Line and in both Cyberjaya and Putrajaya.
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Whether Route P113 will remain in place permanently has not been confirmed. However, records indicate that Perbadanan Putrajaya issued a tender in December 2025 for 18 months of autonomous EV bus service, and Handal Indah later secured the contract.
EVs can mean quieter trips, reduced exhaust fumes, and potentially lower operating costs. They also tend to reduce fuel spending and routine maintenance because they have fewer moving parts than gas-powered vehicles.
What's being done?
Electric buses can help reduce urban air pollution while lowering dependence on gasoline or diesel.
For readers who are thinking about buying an electric vehicle of their own, the same money-saving logic applies at home.
Charging an EV at home also often costs half as much as using public chargers, but basic Level 1 charging tends to be slow. Qmerit provides free, instant installation estimates for faster Level 2 home charger installations.
Time will tell how Putrajaya's test run will play out, but for now, the EV company has the opportunity to prove its worth.
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