The E-BUS RADAR platform promotes and monitors fleets of electric buses in the public transport of Latin American cities. The objectives of the platform are to: (1) monitor and georeference the fleets of electric buses in operation; (2) promote data transparency; and (3) quantify the CO2 emissions avoided per year through the operation of these vehicles.
“In the short term, E-BUS RADAR has a strategic role in the promotion of data transparency with respect to the use and expansion of electric buses in Latin American cities. It also promotes visibility to the cities that already have operating systems. In the medium and long term, through the monitoring of the fleets and the calculation of the avoided emissions, it will be possible to have a closer relationship with local governments and to strengthen the engagement of the cities in the energy and technological transition of their fleet of vehicles. With this, it will be possible to influence the structuring of policies at a local and regional level, by providing the feedback of a constant effort to refine the platform through a collective and collaborative work with public bodies and the third sector. It also contributes to cities achieving their climate targets” – explains Victor Andrade, coordinator of the LABMOB
The E-BUS RADAR platform supports local and national governments in achieving their climate targets by promoting electric buses as an excellent solution to facilitate cleaner and healthier urban areas.
Why electric buses?
Buses are the main means of urban mobility for millions of citizens in Latin America. However, these vehicles are still mostly powered by diesel, which is an obsolete and highly polluting technology. The expansion of the fleet of electric buses in Latin American cities is key to the local future and that of the planet. E-BUS RADAR has an important role in the data transparency, monitoring and promotion of electric buses.
Involved institutions
E-BUS RADAR is a collaborative work that involves several institutions that are recognized for their work in the area of climate, mobility and quality of life. The Laboratory of Sustainable Mobility (LABMOB), at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), is responsible for the development of the platform and is in partnership with the Zero Emission Bus Rapid-Deployment Accelerator (ZEBRA), co-led by C40 Cities (C40) and by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). The project also has the collaboration of the Institute for Energy and the Environment (IEMA) and the support of the Institute for Climate and Society (iCS).
“The main differential of E-BUS RADAR is to fill a gap in the Brazilian and Latin American scenario corresponding to the absence of a mapping and monitoring of the efforts to electrify the bus fleet and to control the environmental impact through avoided CO2 emissions. In addition, it is a collective work that is being performed and monitored by experts and renowned institutions in the area of transport and climate change: planned and developed by LABMOB/UFRJ, in partnership with ZEBRA, C40, ICCT, and P4G, with the collaboration of IEMA and support from the Institute for Climate and Society. This collective configuration is essential for the success of E-BUS RADAR and also to produce a holistic view about the question of electric buses in Latin America. The expectation of LABMOB/UFRJ and of the involved organizations is that E-BUS RADAR will become a reference in Brazil and Latin America with respect to the monitoring of the fleet of electric buses and that it will actually influence local and national governments to promote a public agenda for the decarbonization of transport.” – says Victor Andrade
