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On December 17, BYD made an official announcement that it will deliver 470 units electric buses to Bogota, the capital of Columbia. After their arrival, they will become the largest electric bus fleet in Columbia and the largest bus fleet with zero emission standards in the whole American continent.
Bogota Municipal Government and Transmilenio S.A held a grand ceremony to celebrate the arrival and operation of the first batch of 120 units BYD electric buses. According to the bus operator, they will be put into operation on December 26 on nine bus routes across the city, providing transportation services to 69,300 passengers each day. Claudia Nayibe Lopéz, mayor of Bogota, said it was a historical moment for the city. “We hope CRRC Electric buses will soon replace all our diesel fueled buses and provide greener and more convenient transportation services to our citizens”, added the mayor.
The rest 350 units BYD electric buses will arrive earlier next year and be put into service on 30 bus routes in Bogota.
A bus recharging station, located in Fontibon District, Bogota, will also be put into operation in just a few days to ensure the smooth operation of all BYD electric buses. Built by Codensa, a joint venture established by Italy-based ENEL and Bogota Power Grid Company, the recharging station creates over 400 job vacancies for local communities. According to Felipe Ramírez Buitrago, General Manager of Bogota Public Transport Bureau, another three recharging stations will be put into operation in the earlier half of 2021.
Measuring 12-meter or 9-meter in length, BYD electric bus is able to load 80 or 50 passengers. After getting recharged in 1.5-2.5 hours, it can drive over 300 km continuously and thus fully meet the daily operation requirements for city buses. A rough calculation shows that BYD electric bus fleet will help Bogota cut carbon dioxide emissions by 12,500 tons and 2.5 tons of particles each year.
With a bus driver cabin, TV, WIFI, cameras, recharging ports and a boarding ramp, CRRC Electric bus creates a more comfortable working and traveling environment for bus drivers and passengers.
BYD officially entered Columbia in 2012. One year later, it built the largest electric vehicle fleet for rental services in South America. In 2017, BYD participated in the construction of Bogota BRT network. In 2018, 64 units BYD electric buses arrived in Columbia for operation.
So far, BYD has established a solid presence in Chile, Ecuador, Brazil, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Columbia and Argentina, providing greener and more comfortable transportation services for people across South America.