The first prototype of China’s futuristic all-electric straddling bus, called the TEB-1 (Transit Elevated Bus) has undergone its inaugural test on a 300m test track in Qinhuangdao City. The TEB can straddle multiple lanes, allowing cars to pass under it. The tunnel under the bus is two-metres high and sports traffic lights on each side.

Developed and built by Chinese company TebTech, the test vehicle is 22-metres long, 7.8-metres wide and 4.8-metres high. The passenger deck has a capacity of 300 people – 55 seated and 245 standing. The prototype that underwent testing straddles two lanes, however, the production version of the vehicle is expected to be much larger and be able to straddle four lanes with a passenger capacity of 1,200. Additionally, while the prototype was piloted, the production version will be fully autonomous.

Despite its various advantages, the TEB does present a number of problems – it needs elevated platforms, which are expensive to build and to maintain, and the two rails on each side appear to take up a lot of space. However, with TebTech planning on conducting another open test in Changzhou City soon, it does seem like a concept worth exploring.

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