Chile continues to make strong progress in its commitment to electromobility in urban public transportation, especially in Santiago, where more than half of its 20 million inhabitants live and where the air quality in winter is often compromised by high levels of pollution.
This Wednesday, 300 new electric buses arrived at the port of San Antonio, increasing the national fleet to 3,339 units and consolidating the country as the second-largest in the world in terms of electric buses, only behind China, according to the Center for Sustainable Mobility (CMS), part of the international alliance ZEBRA.
A Structural Change with Environmental Impact
“Chile has become an icon that electromobility is a feasible and urgent path to combat climate change”, highlighted the Minister of Transport, Juan Carlos Muñoz.
The transformation is remarkable:
- In 2017, Santiago had only two electric units.
- In 2022, at the beginning of the current government, there were 700.
- The goal is to reach 4,400 electric buses by March 2026.
Currently, there are 2,500 electric buses in Santiago, representing 38% of the urban mobile fleet and transporting 2.5 million people every day.
Buses with Technology, Efficiency, and Comfort
The new units, in red and white colors, feature wifi, air conditioning, and meet energy efficiency standards. Each vehicle has an approximate cost of $250,000.
This sustained growth has allowed for a dramatic reduction in the environmental footprint of the system: a decade ago, buses accounted for 30% of urban pollution emissions; today, they represent only 3%, according to official figures.
The Future: Extending Electromobility Nationwide
The next step in public policy is to expand electrification to the regions. Electric buses have already been introduced in Concepción, Antofagasta, and Iquique, and it is expected that by 2040, the entire Chilean public transportation fleet will be 100% electric.
“The Chilean experience demonstrates that an energy transition in transportation is possible, scalable, and has a high environmental and social impact”, stated Paola Tapia, director of Metropolitan Public Transportation.
Clean Mobility as a State Policy
With consistent policies, sustained investment, and public-private partnerships, Chile is positioning itself as a regional leader in sustainable transportation, accelerating its transition towards a cleaner, more equitable, and resilient mobility matrix.
