470 pure electric buses to serve almost 40 routes and over 300-thousand commuters across the capital of Colombia
BOGOTA, Columbia (Dec. 19, 2020) — BYD announced the delivery of 470 pure electric buses to Bogota, Colombia, which will comprise the largest bus fleet BYD has delivered in the Americas.
The delivery will be completed during the first quarter of 2021, allowing a total of 302,000 passengers to enjoy the zero-emission bus service on 40 routes. Compared with diesel buses, BYD’s pure electric bus fleet will save 12,500 tons of carbon dioxide and 2.5 tons of dust particles from being emitted every year.
“Today is a historic day that we can record in the history of Bogota,” said Claudia Nayibe López Hernández, the Mayor of Bogota. “This is thanks to the joint efforts of many talented Colombians. We want to buy more electric buses, preferably, that allow us to remove the old diesel and gasoline fleet, and renew it with clean, electric buses, providing more and better services for citizens.”
In addition, each bus comes equipped with a driver safety cabin, TV, WIFI, security cameras, intelligent transport system, mobile phone charging USB interfaces, access platform for people with disabilities, and other people-centric features.
“It feels really great that our dream come true,” said Ricardo Sierra, President of Colombia’s bus procurement company Celsia. “TRANSMILENIO S.A and Bogota City are leaders in electric buses, and they are setting an example for many cities seeking to develop zero-emission bus systems. I congratulate the citizens of Bogota, who will soon experience the unique charm of eco-friendly buses.” This batch of 120 buses was purchased by Celsia and then delivered to the local bus operator Gran Americas Fontibon I SAS, with a concession duration of 15 years.
BYD entered the Colombian market in 2012 and made several milestone achievements: building the first pure electric taxi fleet in South America in 2013, entering the Bogota BRT system in 2017. It has also delivered 64 electric buses to Medellin in 2018, and delivered 470 units for the largest pure electric bus fleet in Colombia in 2020.
“During the pandemic, BYD has overcome all difficulties, completed production with quality and quantity and delivered on time,” said Lara Zhang, the Regional Director of BYD Latin America. “BYD’s dedication to zero-emission technology innovation fits perfectly with the commitment of the city of Bogota and TRANSMILENIO S.A to sustainable development.” The buses were produced by BYD’s bus plants in Nanjing and Hangzhou and then shipped to Buenaventura Port in Bogota.
Throughout Latin America, BYD’s new energy vehicle footprint has spread to major markets including Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Argentina. The brand has gained market praise for its remarkable environmental benefits and reliable quality, and continues to promote the electrified public transportation across the Americas. Globally, BYD products are hard at work in 300 cities, while operating in more than 50 countries and regions.
“Today, Bogota is at the forefront of zero-emission public transportation,” said Juan Luis Mesa, General Manager of BYD Colombia. “To demonstrate the all-round strength of the vehicle’s range and driving performance, we took a bold approach: from the day the buses arrived at the port, we drove all the way to Bogota, covering about 500 kilometers along the way, passing through four cities, and people along the way were very surprised. We feel confident that the bus fleet has successfully attracted the attention of the public before it even begins operations, and they are eager to experience this new technology.”
