BYD announced it has signed a deal to build its SkyRail in Salvador, Brazil. The project will be the first of its kind for BYD in Latin America and will become part of the city’s Light Vehicle Transport System (VLT), which is slated to begin construction within six months, and be fully operational by 2021.

The 12-mile seaside route will be partially built above the sea to connect Salvador’s central business district to São João Island, with a capacity of 150,000 passengers per day. It will connect with the existing subway, providing seamless transportation for the city of 2.9 million residents.

A BYD-led consortium, consisting of BYD Brazil and Metrogreen, first won the bid for the contract in May 2018. The consortium will be responsible for the implementation and operation of the system, with the work to be carried out through a public-private partnership.

The engineering of the SkyRail such as its strong climbing capacity makes the vehicle capable of negotiating the difficult local terrain where a distance of quarter mile requires an increase of 87 yards. The SkyRail is quiet and carbon-free, and its elevated construction does not affect normal pedestrian and traffic flow, providing a non-disruptive addition to Salvador’s urban landscape.

Parks and resorts are planned to be built under the SkyRail line, and community facilities, such as police stations and service centers will be added in the monorail stations.

Launched in October 2016 after five years of research and development, the SkyRail, which features an automated driving system, is currently operational in the western Chinese city of Yinchuan.