Copiapó to be the first city in South America with 100% electric public transport
It will have more than 120 modern zero-emission machines.
Copiapó will achieve an important milestone for our continent by becoming the first city in South America to have 100% electric public transport.
This important milestone was achieved thanks to the work of the Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry (MTT) via its Regional Public Transport Division (DTPR). The DTPR has designed an electromobility project in the Atacama Region, which includes the implementation of 12 services with at least 121 electric buses.
How the electric bus project in Copiapó was created
The Transportation Ministry explained that during June 2023, they held five discussions with the public to consider local needs when improving the public transport system in the city, in order to raise the quality as required by the residents themselves. During these meetings, they addressed aspects such as the routes, frequencies and schedules of the electric public transport system.
Fifty-six people participated in this exercise, mainly active social leaders in the neighborhood associations of the municipality of Copiapó. Their contributions were fundamental to ensuring that the design of the public transport system was inclusive and representative of the population’s needs.
The project includes the implementation of high-standard electric buses, under an eight-year service operation contract, which is extendable for two more years.
The proposal will initially have 12 routes, with growth potential according to the dynamic mobility needs of the municipality. There will also be greater hourly coverage. Therefore, services will begin to operate from 05:00 until approximately 22:00, with frequencies in peak periods of four vehicles per hour, and two to three vehicles per hour in off-peak periods.
Public tender for electric buses in Copiapó
During the next few days, the industry will be invited to a meeting to explain the new model of working with national asset land. A tender will then be published, where the deadlines corresponding to the first stage – questions and answers – will commence.
The contract is expected to be awarded and signed before the end of 2024, while the start of operations is expected in the second half of 2025.