On the afternoon of November 1st, new electric buses were lined up to get charged at the Lhasa Nagin public transportation company. One employee of the company pointed out a new solar powered bus, the outward appearance of which looks just like any other public bus to the naked eye.

According to the employee, by comparison to the other busses, the biggest distinction is that the roof of the solar powered bus is comprised of solar panels totaling about 20 square meters. 
 
The employee said that the photovoltaic panels supply the bus’s core power, converting solar power into electricity. Drivers can look at the charging status on the dashboard at any time.

Technician estimates that as long as there is enough sunshine, it is not necessary for the bus to be charged, no matter it is parked or in motion. The effectiveness of charging is determined by how intense the sunlight is and to what extent the bus is exposed to the sun.

"As Lhasa enters the winter season, sun exposure will be reduced, sunlight intensity will weaken. That is, simply relying on solar power will not be enough, therefore we can switch to power charging mode to ensure smooth operations." the employee said.

According to the person in charge of the Lhasa public transportation, the purchasing fee of the solar powered bus is high, but the operation costs is lower,. The solar powered bus cuts carbon emissions, and is very significant in protecting the pure blue skies of Lhasa.