Santiago’s Red Movillidad e-bus fleet grows by another 300 units

300 electric buses coming from China and manufactured by Zhongtong have arrived at the Port of San Antonio, being the first of a total of 1,800 e-buses that will bring to 68% the number of e-buses in the Chilean capital fleet.

The 300 new buses, arrived in Chile after 28 days of navigation from the port of Shanghai in China, will be incorporated during this second half of the year into the capital’s transport system.

The above-mentioned 1,800 e-buses will join the 2,555 that currently circulate on the streets of Santiago. As of March 2025, according to the figures from E-Bus Radar, backed by ZEBRA alliance, the majority of the e-buses running in Santiago are by Foton (1,388, meaning a 54% share). BYD follows with 811, then Yutong standing at 315.

Santiago de Chile: 68% of the fleet will be electric

In addition to having security cameras, air conditioning, USB chargers and Wi-Fi, all the new units will be equipped with a sensor system in all their blind spots, reducing their accident rates.

Residents of communes such as La Granja, San Miguel and San Joaquín will be part of those who will see their fleet of buses renewed, which in the opinion of the Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Juan Carlos Muñoz, follows the path of territorial equity that has been given to public transport in the capital and throughout the country.

New operators managing bus services in Santiago

The arrival of the new electric buses is part of the process of implementing new services for Red Movilidad, which will benefit about 20 communes, and which was developed with the participation of neighbors who use the system, where the different mobility needs were known and considered.

The road tender corresponding to 30% of the system was awarded in November 2024, and included the incorporation of two new operating companies: Gran América and Consorcio Conecta. In this way, 3.5 million people will benefit from new electric buses, new job opportunities and, with everything, a better travel experience, improving the quality of life of those who use public transport daily.

“This is very good news for the system and for our goal of leveling the playing field between the different communes. As a Government, we set out to bring electromobility to all sectors of the capital and we are moving forward at a steady pace with this commitment with the reinforcement of the fleet of 1,800 buses that will be incorporated during 2025 and that begins today, with the arrival of these 300 buses. Thus, our country’s leadership in the use of this type of technology is consolidated, since by the end of the year 3 out of 5 buses that circulate in Greater Santiago will be electric”, said Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz.

The director of Metropolitan Public Transport, Paola Tapia Salas, said that “At Red Movilidad we respond to all the connectivity needs that people have, which have to do with transfers and also with standards. With the renewal of the fleet we will provide a better quality, more comfortable and safer service. In addition, the incorporation of nearly 1,800 electric buses this year alone will benefit all users of the system, due to the environmental impact of electromobility on the city, since currently, RED buses are responsible for only 3.3% of transport emissions and have helped reduce noise on the Alameda axis by up to 44% and 45% on the Santa Rosa axis compared to 2019”.