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Planning to settle in Brazilian territory, the Chinese Higer Bus will test its electric bus model in SP. The model has 12,2 meters and can carry up to 70 passengers
Chinese electric bus manufacturer Higer Bus has confirmed its plans to start vehicle production in Brazil in 2023, after the regular import phase of the first vehicles starting in the first half of next year. Later this year, the Chinese will start test runs in Brazil. The electric bus model chosen was the Azure A12BR, which will be incorporated into the São Paulo (SP) bus fleet on an experimental basis. The test of the vehicle on the streets will be carried out by SPTrans, which is responsible for controlling public transport in the municipality.
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Learn more about the electric bus from the Chinese Higer Bus
The model is 12,2 meters long and is fully powered by electric batteries. Its capacity is for up to 70 passengers, being equipped with a low floor, air conditioning, air suspension, USB chargers for passengers and the possibility of connecting to the Internet via Wi-Fi.
The electric bus from the Chinese manufacturer has a range of 270 km and its recharge time is 3 hours. In the first phase, the Higer Bus electric buses will be imported to SP through the clean transport solutions company, TEVX Motors, created to provide after-sales services and spare parts and also to import vehicles.
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Alongside component suppliers based in Brazil, a technology transfer program will start in January, in addition to training drivers and maintenance teams.
Chinese manufacturer invests US$ 10 million in South America
According to the director general of Higer Bus for South America, Marcelo Barella, the Chinese company committed to making initial investments worth US$ 10 million alongside the C40, in the Zebra project, for the creation of production infrastructures so that the great potential of the Brazilian market could be met.
C40 Cities is a group of the world's largest climate leadership cities. Zebra stands for – Zero Emission Bus Rapid Deployment Accelerator, in English. The new electric buses will be offered to operators through a rental contract.
According to Barella, this is an important incentive for fleet renewal, as the monthly package already includes battery replacement every 8 years and the maintenance structure of electric buses in SP.
In addition to buses, SP will also have electric Vans
Starting in January of next year, an Azure by Higer bus will arrive for charter, which has the same autonomy as the urban bus and in the semester, the first electric passenger and cargo vans should arrive in SP.
The final stage will be the nationalization of the supply of parts, within two years, so that the plans to establish itself in the national territory are completed with a local production unit. Marcelo stated that the Chinese suppliers have factories installed in the country, such as Dana, ZF, Valeo, Bosch and Siemens. This will bring easy access to parts to lower costs and maintenance.
By 2023, Higer Bus plans to use components manufactured in Brazil to finish assembling the buses. This guarantees a transfer of essential technology to Brazil.
