Latin America Slowly Adopts Electric Buses to Curb Emissions
Latin America is gradually adopting electric buses, a move that could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Despite the benefits, the transition to cleaner vehicles has been slow, with many countries focusing more on renewable energy than public transport and electromobility.
The United Nations Environment Programme launched the Electric Mobility in Latin America initiative in 2014 to promote electromobility and provide policy assistance. This project, led by the German development agency GIZ, aims to reduce emissions, improve air quality, and establish sustainable mobility concepts.
Several cities have already begun implementing electric vehicles. Bogota started using e-buses in 2015, while Chile has been introducing electric taxis and buses since 2016. Uruguay operates a collective transport trust promoting low-carbon transportation, including e-buses since 2016, with a fund totaling around USD25 million. However, electric taxis make up less than 1% of the total fleet in these cities, with drivers receiving incentives to switch to electric vehicles.
The electrification of the transport sector is responsible for around 30% of greenhouse gases in Latin America. Policy measures are projected to reduce 435,000 tons of greenhouse gases by 2020. In 2015, several cities committed to replacing 40,000 buses with cleaner ones by 2020, although the type of cleaner vehicles is not yet specified.
The slow deployment of electric buses in Latin America, despite their clear benefits, highlights the need for more focused efforts on public transport and electromobility. Initiatives like Electric Mobility in Latin America are crucial for accelerating this transition and reducing the region's carbon footprint.
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