A large, 60-foot electric bus has been running for almost two weeks in Sao Paulo, Brazil where it has transported over 135,000 passengers since hitting the road. The bus joined the city’s already diverse fleet, which includes buses running on biodiesel, ethanol, diesel and electric trolleybuses. This is just the latest movement in an international effort to develop electric buses that are quiet, fuel-free, and reducing air and greenhouse gas pollution.

 

The batteries and recharge system in the Sao Paulo bus were made by Japan-based Mitsubishi while the body and motor were built in Brazil. The bus, which can hold 124 passengers and travel 125 miles without recharging, is winning over local approval for its quietness and international approval for being environmentally friendly. The battery-powered buses do not require cables, as is the basis for the electric trolleybuses that use the city’s grid.

 

“The bus is super-healthy for the planet and can do its job almost like diesel-fueled models, thanks to its recharge technology and use of energy,” Ivan Regina, manager of the Sao Paulo state government Transport Planning, Technological Development and Environment unit said.

 

For the next six months the city will be assessing the bus’s financial viability as compared to standard, diesel-fueled buses. However, from a climate and environmental perspective, the battery-powered bus is a clear leader.

 

Air pollution is a serious problem in Sao Paulo, and there are plans for the 70,000 or so buses in the state to be replaced with renewable energy-driven models by 2020. With the World Cup coming to Brazil this year, tourists will be descending on Sao Paulo, and it would be noteworthy for them to travel on new, cutting-edge electric buses.