Chile’s capital city of Santiago has just ordered 150 BYD electric buses for its greater metro area public transport system, Red Metropolitana de Movilidad (RED). That will bump its BYD e-bus total up to 455. According to Sustainable Bus, “Chile aims to have the second largest electric bus fleet in the world after China.”
China was responsible for around 99% of global e-bus sales in 2018 and 2019.
According to Wikipedia, RED currently operates 6,581 buses, and BYD claims the e-bus fleet in Santiago will reach almost 800 units by the end of this year.
Considering the city only got its first 100 e-buses in 2018, this is incredible growth in just two years. RED Movilidad’s goal is the total electrification of public transport by 2040, and if they keep going at their current rate, they’ll probably beat it.
(Compare that with New York City, which has 25 e-buses and aims to buy 500 more by 2024.)
BYD is a global leader in electric bus sales, and it’s the front-runner in South America. Its e-buses, e-taxis, and other EVs are in more than 300 cities, in more than 50 countries and regions.
SOURCE: Electrek