BYD delivers 100 battery-electric buses to Chile

Chilean dignitaries and BYD and Enel officials celebrated the delivery of 100 new electric buses from China.

The buses, BYD K9FE, were shipped from the port of Shanghai, and landed this week, beginning the overland journey from San Antonio to the Chilean capital Santiago, where they will be integrated into the fleet that operates on the Avenida Grecia, the only completely electrified bus line in all of the Americas, and one that benefits more than 660,000 people weekly.

Following the arrival of this batch of electric buses, another 83 units will be added in mid-August. The 183 units of BYD pure electric buses will join the 100 electric buses that BYD and local partner Enel brought into Santiago last December, which gave BYD a dominant share of more than 60% in the capital’s promising electric bus market, and created the largest pure electric bus fleet in Latin America.

With the arrival of the new electric buses, about 6% of the capital's fleet is now electrified and emissions-free. The vehicles, like those already operating in Santiago, have Wi-Fi, USB ports, universal accessibility for people with reduced mobility, cameras, and a segregated cab for driver safety, as well as padded seats and low floors.

The 183 electric buses will be powered by Enel X, which will also provide the necessary charging infrastructure by building three new charging stations in Santiago. At present, BYD pure electric buses are successfully servicing markets in many countries across Latin America, including Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Uruguay. Globally, BYD's pure electric buses, taxi, and other vehicles have spread to over 300 cities, in more than 50 countries and regions.