The Chilean government held a ceremony in Santiago on Dec. 13 to mark the arrival of 100 K9FE electric buses manufactured by BYD, China's world-leading force in renewable energy solutions. 

This is the largest single pure electric bus fleet delivery in Latin America so far, and it will enable Chile to carry out its ambitious public transport electrification revolution to help protect the environment.

BYD's local partner, Enel, handed the buses to the local bus operator Metbus. The 100 K9FE buses, which will service Santiago's most important areas, are equipped with BYD's latest battery technology, that enables them to operate over 250km on a single charge.

The handover ceremony was presided over by Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, accompanied by Transport Minister Gloria Hutt and Director of Metropolitan Public Transportation Fernando Saka. Stella Li, Senior Vice President of BYD Co. Ltd. and President of BYD Motors Inc., Country Manager of BYD Chile Tamara Berríos, the CEO of Enel X Americas, Simone Tripepi, the CEO of Enel Chile, Paolo Palotti, Metbus General Manager Juan Pinto and Metbus Director Hector Moya also attended the event.

The Chilean President heralded the arrival of the largest pure-electric fleet in Latin America as launching an era of “Third Millennium Transport” that would improve the quality of life for all Chileans. He also reiterated the dire warning of former American President Barack Obama that, “We are the first generation to feel the effects of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it."

BYD's pure electric buses are already operating elsewhere in Chile, and their advanced technology has passed the country's bus certification standards. The buses are also operating in many other countries across Latin America, including Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil and Uruguay.

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