Bogotá has added 50 battery-electric articulated buses to its TransMilenio public transport system, introducing Colombia’s first electric articulated buses as the capital accelerates its transition to zero-emission public transportation. The city plans to add 900 new battery-electric buses between 2026 and 2029.
First Electric Articulated Buses Enter Service
The new buses can carry up to 160 passengers and are equipped with doors on both sides. This allows them to operate on TransMilenio’s dedicated bus corridors and at network stations while also serving conventional roads and stops.
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The deployment will take place gradually, with the rollout linked in part to the expansion of the TransMilenio corridor along Avenida Ciudad de Cali.
The vehicles were procured by local operators Masivo Capital and ETIB. Their bodies were manufactured in Colombia, with 25 buses built by Busscar in Pereira and another 25 produced by Marcopolo in Cota.
Buses Include Connected Safety Features
The electric articulated buses feature cameras, blind-spot monitoring and real-time telemetry, along with digital rear-view mirrors.
Passenger features include Wi-Fi and USB ports, while dedicated spaces are provided for wheelchairs and prams. The vehicles also incorporate boarding equipment intended to improve access for passengers with limited mobility.
The combination of electric propulsion and compatibility with both dedicated bus infrastructure and conventional roads allows the vehicles to operate across different parts of Bogotá’s public transport network.
Bogotá Targets 900 New Electric Buses
The 50 articulated buses form part of a wider procurement programme covering 900 new battery-electric buses planned for Bogotá between 2026 and 2029.
Of the total, 631 vehicles are intended to replace older buses. Another 269 battery-electric articulated buses are planned for a later expansion phase and for the extension of TransMilenio services toward Soacha.
The latest procurement round also includes 97 battery-electric minibuses and standard buses, bringing the number of vehicles covered by that round to 147.
Once all 900 planned electric buses are operating, TransMilenio estimates they will prevent approximately 57,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.
Latin America Expands Electric Bus Fleets
Bogotá’s programme forms part of a wider shift toward electric public transport across Latin America, where more than 10,000 electric buses are now in operation.
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Santiago de Chile has the region’s largest electric bus fleet, with 4,222 vehicles. São Paulo is also expanding its battery-electric fleet and commissioned another 500 electric buses in June.
The addition brought São Paulo’s total electric bus fleet to 1,759 vehicles, including 189 trolleybuses.
Bogotá’s planned 900-bus expansion will further increase the scale of electric public transport in Latin America’s major urban markets.