As we went to press, Faro was on track to be the first Portuguese municipality to boast an electric bus.
The eco-friendly bus– called ‘Próximo’ (Close) – is to be used for urban routes and is aimed at reducing the town’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Its debut was scheduled for World Environment Day on Wednesday in a ceremony at the Praça do Munícipio, starting at 11.45pm.
According to the council, the bus is going to be incorporated into the Algarve capital’s 28-vehicle fleet and will be used just like any other local bus.
For now, however, it is being seen as an “experiment”, Faro mayor Rogério Bacalhau told Lusa news agency.
Powered by three separate batteries, ‘Próximo’ is also equipped to carry handicapped people and can run for over 100kms on a single charge.
