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The capital of the Atacama region is preparing to become the first city in South America with a fully electric major public transportation system, thanks to the construction of a new electric bus terminal operated by Copec Voltex. The project, which will be powered by 100% renewable energy, is part of the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications national electric mobility plan. Copec Voltex, a subsidiary of Compañía de Petróleos de Chile (Copec) dedicated to electromobility in Chile, has announced the construction and operation of the first public transport electric terminal in Copiapó, capital of the Atacama region. This will make the city the first in South America to have a fully electric major public transport system. The new terminal, which will use 100% renewable energy and manage the charging of a fleet of 121 electric buses, is part of the national electromobility plan promoted by the Chilean Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications. The initiative includes the installation of an electric bus terminal at the Copiapó Land Transport Terminal and a fleet of high-standard electric buses, distributed across 12 urban routes. This infrastructure will connect intercity buses with local transportation, facilitating the daily commute of thousands of passengers. The terminal will have fast charging stations and intelligent management software to optimize the fleets operation and energy efficiency. The electric buses operating in the city will feature air conditioning, universal accessibility, USB chargers, a separate drivers cabin, and advanced security systems, including monitoring cameras. The service will operate between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., with a frequency of four buses per hour during rush hour and differentiated fares for adults, students, and seniors. The bidding process awarded the operation to Nueva Copiapó 1 SpA, which will receive a monthly subsidy to guarantee the continuity and quality of service. The Chilean company Kupos will implement the intelligent fleet management and control system, which will optimize the buses availability and energy consumption. Copec Voltex already operates 12 electric charging stations in Santiago and plans to add 20 new projects in different regions, expanding the coverage of electric charging infrastructure in the country. Last January, Copec launched the first fully electric vehicle charging station converted from a fossil fuel station , located on the Costanera Norte Highway in the Vitacura district of the countrys capital. The Copiapó project responds to the governments goal of achieving 100% electric urban public transportation by 2050. The experience of the Metropolitan Region, where more than 2,500 electric buses are already in operation and the number of buses projected to exceed 4,300 by 2025, serves as a benchmark for the expansion of electric mobility to other cities in the country. |
