Santiago, Chile’s capital and largest city, located in a valley on the Mapocho River, surrounded by the snow capped Andes and the Chilean Coast Range, the political and financial centre of the South American country hosting the regional headquarters of many multinational corporations and organizations, a metropolis which offers several dining, entertainment and shopping options alongside a rich arts scene and a vibrant nightlife, continues to strengthen electromobility in the city with the incorporation of new articulated electric buses from Chinese manufacturers.
This move is part of a long term - strategy led by the government to position the capital of Chile as the operator of the largest electric bus fleet outside of China.
According to Crónica Digital, a social, republican and community media outlet based in Santiago, the city premiered its first fleet of articulated electric buses, within the framework of the a national program pushes for sustainable sustainable transport by 2050, aiming to electrify 68% of its fleet soon, reducing environmental pollution generated by fossil fuels, lowering operating costs, and improving urban mobility.
The new unites manufactured by Chinese companies, stand out for their quiet operation, capacity to carry up to 140 passengers, modern equipment, including air conditioning, security cameras and charging ports for electronic devices.
In addition, these articulated electric buses can carry around more passengers than conventional 12 - metre models, they improves the performance of the system, and reinforcing the contribution to more sustainable urban mobility.
Key Details of the Initiative:
• Fleet Expansion: Santiago’s transit authority plans to have over 4.400 electric buses, forming 68% of its fleet by early 2026, integrating them into its Red Metropolitana Movilidad (RMM) system.
• Manufacturers: The majority of these buses primarily sourced from Chinese original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) , with major deliveries from Zhongtong and established fleets from Yutong, Futon, and BYD, noted for quick delivery and falling costs.
• Features: The new buses feature modern amenities for passenger comfort and safety, including air conditioning, Wi - Fi, USB chargers, accessibility features, security cameras and proximity sensors.
• Environmental Impact: The shift significantly cuts emissions, reducing particulate matter and noise, improving air quality for millions, and aligns with Chile’s goal to decarbonize transport.
• Economic Benefits: E - buses offer substantial savings, with estimated operational costs up to 44% lower for maintenance and 65% cheaper per kilometre compared to diesel buses.
• Infrastructure and Policy: The move is supported by national policies and infrastructure upgrades, including new charging stations at terminals, making Santiago a leader in Latin America for large e - bus adoption.
• National Goal: This initiative is part of Chile’s broader national electromobility strategy, which aims for 100% of new public transport vehicle sales to be zero – emissions from 2035 onward, and the entire national fleet to be electric by 2040.
This integration of Chinese electric buses marks a radical transformation for Santiago’s public transport, boosting quality, sustainability, and efficiency.
The successful implementation is a result of a robust public - private collaboration and a government policy that spans multiple administrations, ensuring continuity and attracting investment from private bus operators and international manufacturers.
Chile’s Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Juan Carlos Muñoz, said that this incorporation represents a new advance in the capital’s electromobility strategy where 3.676 electric buses are already operating to 56% of the total system.
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Thanks a lot to read and note.