Metrobus’ Line 3 to Be Fully Electric
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Metrobus’ Line 3 to Be Fully Electric

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Fernando Mares By Fernando Mares | Journalist & Industry Analyst - Wed, 06/22/2022 - 16:23

Mexico City’s Major, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced that the city will have the first fully-electric mass transportation line in the country, via the acquisition of new electric units for Line 3 of the Metrobus system. 

Sheinbaum explained the electrification of Line 3 will help the city’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is in line with president López Obrador's strategy presented at the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate 2022.

According to Sheinbaum, the city will buy 50 electric busses and construct 32 charging stations to achieve the line’s electrification, which will require an investment of over US$38.7 million. The new units will be added to the existing 10 electricity-powered units the line already operates. According to Roberto Capuano, Director, Metrobus, each unit would cost over US$645,542, while their operational costs would be US$64,500 a month. 

“Line 3 will be the first electric mass public transportation line in the country. When I say mass, I refer to the 200,000 users it moves every day. It is a project that started two years ago and we are presenting it to you today. We will operate the line by March 2023,” Capuano said. 

Capuano added that units will be articulated buses 18m in length, capacity for 160 users, USB ports and a 563KWh capacity that will allow them to travel 330km with a full charge. The units will not create any harmful emissions. In addition, they will not make noise or cause vibration.

According to Capuano, the to-be-acquired units will be more economically viable even if their initial purchasing cost is high. This is because electric energy is cheaper than diesel, which is currently the system’s main source of energy. He said that 1L of diesel is required to travel 1km, which costs over US$1.09. By comparison, the 1KWh required to travel 1km costs merely US$0.15.

Local Minister of Mobility Andrés Lajous said that the system’s electrification will be an example for other transportation systems regarding the energy transition, for example for the franchised bus system, which is interested in applying this technology to its vehicle fleet. He noted that Line 3 will be added to the electric transportation capacity the city already operates, of which the 301 trolleybus fleet is the main example. 

On Jun. 17, 2022, the Metrobus system celebrated its 17th anniversary. It started operations in 2005, during president López Obrador's term as Major of Mexico City. The Metrobus currently has seven lines and a provisional service for Tlahuac, with a total of 806 units in operation.

Photo by:   Metrobus

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