Volvo Buses has announced the sale of 21 electric articulated and bi-articulated buses to Goiânia, Brazil, marking the first time fully electric bi-articulated buses will enter regular service anywhere in the world. The order, arranged by urban mobility investment firm GreenMob Capital, will see the Volvo BZRT model deployed on the East-West Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line in the city’s Metropolitan Collective Transport Network.
The order includes 16 articulated units with capacity for 180 passengers and five bi-articulated buses capable of carrying up to 250 passengers. The vehicles, set for delivery in 2025, are manufactured at Volvo’s facility in Curitiba. Equipped with zero-emission drivetrains, advanced safety features such as traffic sign recognition, cameras, and Volvo Dynamic Steering, the buses also integrate GPS-based “Safety Zones” designed to automatically regulate speeds in sensitive areas such as schools and hospitals.
Volvo said the introduction of these models strengthens Brazil’s position in sustainable transport and highlights the growing role of electrification in high-capacity public transit. The 28-meter-long bi-articulated units are expected to be the largest electric vehicles in daily operation worldwide, offering a reference for other urban centers planning decarbonization of public mobility systems.
Goiânia’s BRT network currently serves around 12 million passengers per month, with projections of reaching 17 million as the system expands across 50 kilometers linking regions such as Trindade and Senador Canedo. Industry observers noted that the initiative may serve as a blueprint for similar transitions across Latin America, where large-capacity solutions are seen as critical to reducing emissions and improving efficiency in urban transport.
