Chinese automaker BYD has announced that it has delivered electric double-decker buses to operators in Chile.

The ten BYD B12C01 buses are the first double-decker buses in South America. The model has capacity for carrying 97 passengers, a charging time of up to two hours and a range of 280 kilometers.

Tamara Berríos Country Manager of BYD Chile said: “This new and important milestone of bringing the first double-decker electric buses to the country, positions us once again at the forefront of electromobility throughout the region and the continent transportation",

Chile introduced its first BYD electric buses in 2017. In 2018, 100 buses were incorporated.  

The addition of the 10 double-decker buses this year,  is expected to bring the number to 800 electric buses in the country.

BYD provided the Colombian capital of Bogotá with a fleet of 379 pure electric buses, which was scheduled to begin operations in September 2020, in a deal awarded by the capital’s TransMilenio SA mass transport authority.

There are currently BYD fully-electric buses serving Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador and Uruguay, the automaker says.