The São Paulo fleet reached 1,149 vehicles powered by clean energy with the delivery, by the city hall, of more than 140 new electric buses. With electrification, the capital will no longer consume 43.5 million liters of diesel per year, thus reducing annual CO₂ emissions by 100,000 tonnes.
The City of São Paulo is committed to creating alternatives and solutions for the electrification of fleets, focusing on initiatives such as the unprecedented subsidy model, recognized internationally at COP30 with the Bloomberg Philanthropies award in the clean and reliable transportation category; obtain funding of 6.5 billion reais to enable the transition and research of new technologies guaranteeing the supply and supply of electric buses.
The renewal of the fleet, with the adoption of electric vehicles instead of diesel vehicles, has a positive impact on the air in the capital, without forgetting more comfortable and quieter travel.
Alone, these 140 units delivered on December 17 represent 5.3 million liters of diesel saved, which means that the emission of 12 thousand tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere will be avoided. Each bus is equivalent to planting 6,400 trees per year.
The delivered buses were made possible thanks to financing from the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) and Caixa Econômica Federal. With BNDES alone, the city hall signed financing worth 2.5 billion reais for 1,300 buses.
The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the city’s public transport by 50% by 2028 and, by 2038, by 100%.
Comfortable and quiet
Equipped with air conditioning, Wi-Fi and USB chargers, electric buses also offer more comfort to passengers and system operators.
Driver André Aparecido, 35, compares the differences between diesel buses and the current fleet of electric buses. “Before, most drivers didn’t really like buses because of the amount of work they required: they weren’t as comfortable, they were hot on the legs and they were too noisy. Now with the tram we are on cloud nine, thank God the dream comes true. You don’t get tired anymore, you can work in peace.”
Roberta Santos Sales, 35, a driver for 14 years, highlights the progress made in her personal and professional life while driving electric buses. According to her, the vehicles are lighter, reduce fatigue at the end of the journey and provide more energy during free time. “There’s no noise at all. It’s lighter, I come home less tired. And it’s good for everyone. It’s good for the environment, for the passengers, for us drivers.”
These 140 units will be operated by eight different concessionaires – Pêssego Transportes, Alfa Rodobus, Via Sudeste, Express, Transunião, A2 Transportes, Transppass and Sambaíba – and will start circulating in all regions of the city.
Furthermore, among the buses delivered, nine have cameras integrated into the Smart Sampa system. A total of 44 vehicles feature the technology of the largest security system in Latin America.
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