
Santiago looking to double electric bus fleet after hitting 1,000-unit milestone

Santiago’s electric bus fleet has reached the landmark figure of 1,000 units, and authorities are now aiming to double that number to 2,000 by the end of this year.
The government's plan also involves beginning to expand electromobility services to cities other than the capital, although transport minister Juan Carlos Muñoz said that this will involve financing challenges.
“We want our funds to reach as many cities as possible, but now they aren’t enough to cover everything,” Muñoz said in response to a question from BNamericas at the opening of a new electric bus charging terminal in Santiago’s Renca district.
He added that this issue will be discussed in congress next month when legislators debate a new transport subsidy law.
Santiago first introduced electric buses in November 2017 and it currently has the biggest fleet of such vehicles in any city outside China. Chile’s goal is for all public transport buses to be electric by 2040.
Muñoz also said that some of the electric bus corridor tenders for regional capitals have been awarded and the first units will start operating there soon.
“In the future, we would like all regional and provincial capitals to have quality public transport,” the minister said.
The transport ministry (MTT) has also announced a pilot for a green hydrogen bus in Santiago’s Red public transport system, although Muñoz said that it is still too early to introduce these units on a larger scale.
“Nowadays green hydrogen vehicles are extraordinarily expensive and uncompetitive. However, we're willing to test them and give them a chance in order to identify the areas in which we can advance,” he said during the ceremony.
Muñoz told BNamericas after the event that the government was willing to use multilateral financing to continue advancing electromobility in the country.
“The system requires large amounts of resources. Much of them come from users through fares and others from the state through subsidies, and we're always looking to access multilateral loans as well, especially when we’re talking about new technologies,” he said.
Subscribe to the most trusted business intelligence platform in Latin America. Let us show you our solutions for Suppliers, Contractors, Operators, Government, Legal, Financial and Insurance.
News in: Infrastructure (Chile)

What's next for Chile’s US$750mn AVO II urban highway
The concessionaire still must sort out expropriations before beginning construction of the road.

Using LatAm’s ‘unloved’ power grid electrons in green ammonia production
BNamericas talks with Joel Moser, CEO of US-headquartered energy transition project developer First Ammonia, about developments in Latin America an...
Subscribe to Latin America’s most trusted business intelligence platform.
Other projects in: Infrastructure (Chile)
Get critical information about thousands of Infrastructure projects in Latin America: what stages they're in, capex, related companies, contacts and more.
- Project: Toro Bayo-Curiñanco Improvement on Route T-340, KM Section. 0.000-KM 18,086, Commune of Valdivia, Province of Valdivia, Region of the Rivers
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 years ago
- Project: Coastal Route Improvement, Villa Ukika Sector - Airport, Section DM 0,000 to DM 5,275,239, Magallanes Region and Chilean Antartica.
- Current stage:
- Updated:
2 years ago
- Project: Improvement W-883 Sector: Apeche - Crossing Route W-853 Queilen
- Current stage:
- Updated:
2 years ago
- Project: Improvement CBI Crossing Route S-269; Gral López-Padre Las Casas; commune of Father Las Casas; Province of Cautín; Araucania region
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 years ago
- Project: Improvement of Route Y-290, Cueva Del Milodon Road, Section Dm 0,000 - DM 9,490,000, Ultima Esperanza Province, Magallanes Region and Chilean Antarctica
- Current stage:
- Updated:
2 years ago
- Project: Improvement Route 7 Sector Hornopiren - Pichanco, Commune of Hualaihué. Section: Cholgo Bridge - Picpa Ramp Access
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 years ago
- Project: Improvement Route O-846, Sector El Laurel - Lota, Province of Concepción, Biobío Region
- Current stage:
- Updated:
2 years ago
- Project: Replacement Route G-150, Pan-American Sector -Lampa, Section KM 0,38 - KM 14,3, Province of Chacabuco, Metropolitan Region
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 years ago
- Project: Improvement Route 201-CH Sector Section B, Pellaifa - Liquiñe, DM. 0.000 - DM.17.387.546, Panguipulli Commune, Valdivia Province, Los Ríos Region
- Current stage:
- Updated:
3 years ago
Other companies in: Infrastructure (Chile)
Get critical information about thousands of Infrastructure companies in Latin America: their projects, contacts, shareholders, related news and more.
- Company: DLS Ingenieros Consultores Ltda.  (DLS Ingenieros Consultores)
-
The description contained in this profile was taken directly from an official source and has not been edited or modified by BNamericas researchers, but may have been automatical...
- Company: OHL Industrial Chile S.A.  (OHL Industrial Chile)
-
OHL Industrial Chile, OHL Industrial's office for the country, was opened in 2010. OHL Industrial engages in the engineering and construction of large-scale turnkey industrial p...
- Company: Besalco S.A.  (Besalco)
-
Chilean construction and engineering group Besalco S.A. (Besalco) is controlled by the Bezanilla-Saavedra family and was established in 1944. With operations in three countries,...
- Company: Bechtel Chile Ltda.  (Bechtel Chile)
-
Bechtel Chile Ltda., the local unit of the US engineering and construction company, offers services to clients for the development, engineering, construction and administration ...
- Company: Corporación de Fomento de la Producción (Corfo)  (Corfo)
-
Chilean state development agency Corfo administers a range of services and incentives designed to promote and help business investments in Chile. It promotes economic developmen...
- Company: WSP Chile S.A.  (WSP Chile)
- Company: Golder Associates S.A.  (Golder Associates Chile)
-
Golder Associates S.A., the Chilean subsidiary of Canada's Global Associate, provides consulting, design, and construction services in the specialist areas of earth, environment...
- Company: POCH by WSP  (POCH)
-
The description included in this profile was taken directly from an official source and has not been modified or edited by BNamericas’ content team. However, it may have been au...
- Company: Dirección General de Concesiones del Ministerio de Obras Públicas de la República de Chile  (DGC Chile)
-
The description included in this profile was taken directly from an official source and has not been modified or edited by BNamericas’ content team. However, it may have been au...