Discover the ranking that places Chile at the top of electromobility in Latin America

There electromobility It is a process that is gradually progressing in Latin America. Although we are still far from other markets, such as the Nordic countries, the truth is that plug-in and zero-emission vehicles are slowly starting to be added, and it is becoming more and more common to find an electric car or bus.

THE electric vehicles of passengers, yes, in Chile they still do not reach 1% of sales. In this segment, Brazil has a huge advantage and already has thousands of electric cars on its streets.

In our country, the greatest progress is in public transport. Since the arrival of the first BYD buses, more and more units of this Chinese brand and also of Foton have been added, making Chile one of the benchmarks in zero-emission public transport.

This is corroborated by the latest update of the E-Bus Radar platform where the register of electric buses circulating in Latin America is kept.

According to the site, there are currently 5,002 units of electric buses connecting Mexico to Chile. This is a constantly increasing figure, which in 2017 recorded only 725 units.

If we analyze the figures by manufacturer, the result shows that BYD is the company with the greatest penetration in the region, with 45% of the total number of buses. It is followed by Foton with 26.7% and in third position, but much further, Yutong with 8.2%.

By examining the platform numbers by country, in a study which also includes trolleybuses, we see that:

• Chile leads the region with 2,043 electric buses in operation. This represents 40.8% of the total zero-emission buses circulating in Latin America and constitutes the second largest fleet of this type of vehicle, surpassed only by China.
• Colombia comes in second place. The coffee-producing country has 1,589 electric buses, or 31.8%.
• The rest of the countries add the following amount: Mexico 623 electric buses (12.4%), Brazil 394 (7.9%), Ecuador 106 (2.1%), Argentina 99 (2%), Barbados 49 (0. 9%), Venezuela 45 (0.9%), Uruguay 36 (0.7%), Guatemala 8 (0.2%), Peru 8 (0.2%), Paraguay 2 (0.1%).

Now, if we look at the figures by city, the Chilean capital is the one at the top of the ranking:

• Santiago holds the gold medal, with 2,013 buses in service.
• In second place is Bogotá, which has 1,485 zero-emission buses, which are part of Transmilenio, the Colombian capital’s public transport program.
• In third place is Sao Paulo, with 219 electric buses.

As we can see, the electromobility process is progressing strongly in public transport in Chile and the RED system allows our country to be at the top of the Latin American ranking.

Tamara Berríos, country director of BYD, a world-leading company in the production of new energy cars, said that “BYD has been electrifying public transportation from the beginning. We pioneered electric buses in Chile, and in 2023 we continue to lead and innovate, with the first fleet of double-decker electric buses in America. Currently there are more than 800 BYD buses in Chile and we can now see with pride how our first bets and years of work are paying off with the changes in the quality of life of the population. Now more than ever, this has become evident through the impact of the implementation of double-decker buses.

Rodrigo Sepulveda, director of buses and vans at Andes Motor, also analyzes the issue and highlights that “at Andes Motor we have worked hard to generate the leadership of Foton Buses in Chile, thus setting the standard in the revolution towards more public transport durable. . We are proud to be the leading suppliers of electric buses for the RED system, supporting the transition to more environmentally friendly fleets, but also providing a much better standard of travel for both drivers and users, making every daily journey an experience. comfortable in every way. We currently have around 1,350 100% electric buses operating on different routes in the country’s capital, which has allowed us to democratize electromobility and bring it to different sectors of the city. Finally, another positive externality is that they generate less noise and thus reduce noise pollution in the city, which benefits both users, passers-by and even motorists.

Looking ahead, the Andes Motor executive shed light on what the future holds. “We distinguish ourselves by constantly seeking better mobility options to adapt to the needs of our customers and users. Thanks to Foton Buses, we have been able to offer solutions that transform mobility and the proof of this is the electric buses that are currently circulating in Santiago. But it’s not just that, since we also want to bring this phenomenon to the regions and not just with public transport. A few weeks ago we presented the first hydrogen-powered intercity bus that will work in passenger transport for mining operations with Anglo American and operated by Buses Hualpén. All these efforts are in line with Andes Motor’s objective to promote the transition to sustainable mobility and seriously contribute to the decarbonization of our country,” said Rodrigo Sepulveda.

At BYD, what’s on the horizon for public transportation is also very promising, as commented by Tamara Berríos, who said that “for the future, BYD’s commitment is to continue contributing with our electrical solutions. On the one hand, we hope to be able to introduce new vehicles, such as articulated buses, better known as caterpillars, so that the circulation of green vehicles increases even further. On the other hand, we also hope to expand this project to new cities and regions in the country. But also at an industrial level, we have the opportunity to enter the lithium industry, to continue to lead the production of safe and efficient batteries that also allow us to provide excellent transportation solutions.