Eco-friendly ‘Superbus’ as fast as a supercar

If your daily bus ride is driving you toward buying a car, the Netherlands may have another solution to your public transit woes.

Behold the "Superbus," the eco-friendly answer to the Bugatti Veyron. The innovative electric bus can carry as many as 23 passengers while still reaching a top speed of 250 km/h.

See it in action below.

Unsurprisingly, it took an astronaut to bring the aesthetics of luxury to the world of mass transit. Wubbo Ockels, the first Dutch citizen in space, has teamed with Italian Formula 1 designer Antonia Terzi and Aerospace engineer Joris Melkert to develop the vehicle.

So far about 13 million euros have been spent on the project. Some key features include an obstacle detection system which uses radar, an interior with two separate cabins (one for single travellers and the other for groups) and regenerative braking to reduce energy consumption. It even features personal multimedia equipment to ensure an entertaining journey.

While the Dutch government has yet to adopt the Superbus on the country's roads, the United Arab Emirates is reportedly set to begin using the vehicle on a trial basis in May.

The design seems to be part of the same efficiency trend that has driven China to develop a giant "straddling bus" which takes up two lanes and allows traffic to pass underneath it.

Check out China's own superbus below.