Chilean public transport operator Red Movilidad has added another 300 electric buses to its fleet in Santiago, following a similarly sized delivery in May. The latest deployment brings the capital’s total number of electric buses to 2,555, making it the city with the largest electric bus fleet outside China, according to government officials.
The new fleet forms part of the country’s broader electromobility initiative, which aims to convert a majority of Santiago’s public transport system to zero-emission vehicles. Red Movilidad says it plans to grow the fleet to more than 4,400 electric buses by March 2026, at which point electric models will represent two-thirds of the city’s buses.
“This is very good news for the system and for our goal of leveling the playing field between the different communes,” said Transport Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz. “As a Government, we set out to bring electromobility to all sectors of the capital and we are moving forward at a steady pace with that commitment.”
Paola Tapia Salas, director of Metropolitan Public Transport, highlighted the environmental improvements brought by the electrification program. “Santiago has been a pioneer in electromobility in Latin America and worldwide thanks to the public policy initiated in 2017,” she said. “Among the benefits that this technology has brought are the reduction of 61% of particulate matter and 44% of noise in the Alameda axis.”
While the operator did not confirm the manufacturer of the newly delivered buses, images released with the announcement indicate that Zhongtong Bus of China was involved, as it was in the May delivery. Santiago’s electric fleet also includes buses from global manufacturers such as BYD, Volvo Buses, Foton, and Yutong.
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