China has a solution to world’s traffic woes.
The country recently sported a state-of-the-art electric bus that could strategically sail through traffic like a breeze. Dubbed the Transit Elevated Bus (TEB), this electric vehicle was unveiled at China Beijing International High-Tech Expo held recently.
With its clever design and tram-like functionality, the TEB runs on rails embedded in roads.
The primary body part of the vehicle is elevated so that the other cars can pass beneath it. This intelligent functionality will help maximize China’s already-limited road space. Moreover, the bus is eco-friendly. It is powered by solar panels embedded in the roof.
The proposed bus would span two traffic lanes and carry up to 1,200 passengers in articulated segments, at speeds up to 60 km per hour.
The cost of each bus will be about $4.5 million, one-sixteenth the price of a subway train.
The bus has gone viral on social media platforms. Bailey Clyde Caylor, a Seattle resident, says on Facebook: “I think I may move to China. I mean look at this fantastic public transport system. It takes Seattle a billion taxpayer dollars and 12 years to build a 2-mile tunnel and 5 miles of light rail track in the city and they are building this for less money and it will be up and running next year.”
While people are convinced that this vehicle will address traffic problems, some are also frightened of this monstrous vehicle. Michale Bellini from Colorado says on Facebook: “If you are driving down the road and a huge vehicle drives over you, you’d probably swerve and smack into it. It’s a good concept but people won’t respond well to it. We will need self driving cars so the ‘human factor’ doesn’t drive cars accidentally into them.”