{"id":64583,"date":"2026-04-29T05:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T10:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latamobility.com\/?p=64583"},"modified":"2026-04-28T07:59:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T12:59:28","slug":"ministry-of-cities-c40-sptrans-eletra-industrial-mctrans-and-porto-velho-drive-multi-level-coordination-for-the-mass-electrification-of-public-transit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latamobility.com\/en\/ministry-of-cities-c40-sptrans-eletra-industrial-mctrans-and-porto-velho-drive-multi-level-coordination-for-the-mass-electrification-of-public-transit\/","title":{"rendered":"Ministry of Cities,\u00a0C40,\u00a0SPTrans,\u00a0Eletra Industrial,\u00a0MCTrans, and Porto Velho Drive\u00a0Multi-level Coordination\u00a0for the\u00a0Mass Electrification of Public Transit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Within the framework of Latam Mobility & Net Zero Brazil 2026<\/strong>, a panel titled \u201cElectrification of Public Transport in Brazil: Structuring Projects for Scalable Implementation<\/strong>\u201d brought together representatives from national and municipal governments, industry, and international organizations to analyze the challenges and opportunities of electric mobility in the country’s collective transit systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moderated by Marina Moscoso<\/strong>, Senior Engagement Manager at C40<\/strong>\/GCoM, the panel featured Caio Luz<\/strong>, Transport Planning Director at SPTrans<\/strong>; Daniele Holanda<\/strong>, General Coordinator of Urban Mobility Planning at Brazil’s Ministry of Cities<\/strong>; I\u00eada Oliveira<\/strong>, Commercial Director at Eletra Industrial<\/strong>; Iremar Torres<\/strong>, Mobility Secretary of Porto Velho; and Vinicius Santos<\/strong>, President of MCTrans<\/strong> Montes Claros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the panel, participants discussed how to structure viable electric mobility projects, exploring the role of multi-level coordination<\/strong> among governments, as well as pathways to mass public transit electrification<\/strong> \u2014 including infrastructure, financing, tenders, and risk management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also of interest<\/strong>\u00a0| Brazil: Salvador and Bel\u00e9m lead active mobility projects with nature\u2011based solutions<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Caio Luz<\/strong> from SPTrans<\/strong> opened the debate with a powerful statement: \u201cAs of 2022, under Mayor Ricardo Nunes<\/strong>\u2019s determination, we no longer allowed diesel buses to be added to our system. That was the decision that accelerated everything.<\/strong> \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luz explained that S\u00e3o Paulo\u2019s fleet has 13,000 vehicles<\/strong> operating daily \u2014 a number unmatched in the country. Initially, only 18 units were electric. However, between January 2025 and April 2026 alone, more than 800 electric buses<\/strong> were delivered, bringing the total to 1,259 units<\/strong> in operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The director noted that the mayor\u2019s plan aims for 2,200 electric vehicles<\/strong> by the end of 2028, and he confirmed that the first third of that target has already been surpassed. Still, he acknowledged that recharging infrastructure remains the big challenge: \u201cWe need to discuss alternatives like high\u2011voltage systems or intermediate storage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A relevant fact: of the 32 lots that divide bus operations in the city, 30 already include electric units<\/strong> \u2014 demonstrating that the periphery is also being served.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is a public policy with deep social and environmental impact,<\/strong> \u201d Caio Luz<\/strong> concluded, offering S\u00e3o Paulo\u2019s experience to other municipalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vinicius Santos<\/strong>, president of MCTrans<\/strong>, presented the experience of Montes Claros, a city of about 500,000 inhabitants in the interior of Minas Gerais.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They currently have 100 buses in their fleet and have already tendered 22 electric units<\/strong>, with a new tender underway to add more than 27 vehicles. The goal is to electrify 50% of the fleet in 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Santos<\/strong> emphasized that the main challenge is power grid governance<\/strong> \u2014 an obstacle common to all cities. But he warned: \u201cElectrification alone will not bring passengers back. We must also think about new technologies to attract the users we lost after the pandemic.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n He thanked the support of the Mutir\u00e3o program for bringing large and medium\u2011sized cities together to facilitate the transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Iremar Torres<\/strong>, Mobility Secretary of Porto Velho, offered a unique perspective from the Amazon. His city, with 125 buses and 1.1 million passengers per month, has a social fare of R$ 3 (half\u2011fare for students) heavily subsidized by the municipality. \u201cEighty percent of our users have no other transportation option,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Porto Velho has a privileged energy profile: it boasts two gigantic hydroelectric plants (Santo Ant\u00f4nio and Jirau) on the Madeira River, a very high density of private electric vehicles (proportionally one of the highest in Brazil), and public charging stations already exist \u2014 so\u2011called \u201celectrolineras\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe see electrification not only as an environmental issue but as an opportunity for reliable and stable infrastructure. Diesel is volatile; electricity is cheaper and more predictable,\u201d<\/strong> Torres<\/strong> stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPorto Velho wants to be the future of the North. We want to become a model case for medium\u2011sized cities.\u201d<\/strong> He acknowledged that without the technical support of the Mutir\u00e3o program, advancing complex tender processes would not have been possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u00eada Oliveira<\/strong>, Commercial Director at Eletra Industrial<\/strong> \u2014 a company with over 25 years of experience in electric bus traction technology (from trolleybuses to hybrids and pure electrics with 100% Brazilian technology) \u2014 strongly defended the role of the domestic private sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEverything starts with public policy. It\u2019s impossible to drive an electrification project without that,\u201d<\/strong> she stated. She also recalled that when the city of S\u00e3o Paulo announced it would no longer purchase diesel buses, \u201cthe pressure from the conventional sector was enormous \u2014 it took them a while to understand that electrification is here to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oliveira<\/strong> highlighted that passengers notice the difference: the electric bus is quieter, more comfortable, and there are already drivers who prefer to wait for the electric rather than board a diesel bus. She also mentioned the revolution in garages: maintenance teams are seeking training, and drivers have lost their fear thanks to onboard technology that protects the vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBrazil has the third largest urban bus fleet in the world. We cannot remain technologically behind,\u201d she warned. And she delivered a message: \u201cThe national industry is ready.<\/strong> We have 13 electric bus models developed in Brazil, with partners like WEG<\/strong> (motors, inverters, batteries), Mercedes\u2011Benz<\/strong> (chassis), and Caio<\/strong> (bodywork). We need public policies to look at us too, because we compete with heavily subsidized Asian products.<\/strong> \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniele Holanda<\/strong> from the Ministry of Cities<\/strong> outlined the federal government\u2019s progress. She noted that the Climate Plan sets a target of 30% of the fleet being zero\u2011emission by 2035<\/strong>. Since 2023, the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) has opened financing lines for fleet renewal, receiving requests for more than 2,000 electric buses<\/strong> in its first call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Holanda<\/strong> detailed that the government has worked on two fronts: investment in infrastructure and fleet renewal, and technical assistance to municipalities. She mentioned initiatives such as the Mutir\u00e3o Brasil program (supporting 13 cities), the Acoplare project with the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Zebra Alliance with C40<\/strong>, as well as partnerships with KfW<\/strong> and GIZ<\/strong> to publish technical and operational guidelines for standardizing electric bus specifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are even working on an aggregated purchasing process to reduce vehicle costs and facilitate tenders,\u201d she announced. She concluded: \u201cElectrification is an opportunity to improve service, digitalize the system, and bring passengers back, with a just transition that also reaches peripheral territories.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At the panel\u2019s close, speakers agreed on several key points. Caio Luz<\/strong> highlighted that electrification also improves worker health (drivers and maintenance staff) and offers thermal and acoustic comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Iremar Torres<\/strong> insisted that Porto Velho is already ready: \u201cWe have a manager passionate about the city who wants to turn it into a smart city. Electric is not just environmental \u2014 it\u2019s economic viability.\u201d Vinicius Santos<\/strong> stressed that attracting the passenger who has other options is the major challenge for medium\u2011sized cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u00eada Oliveira<\/strong> closed with a call to expand public policies that value national content and generate jobs and development in Brazil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Daniele Holanda<\/strong> reminded that the PAC includes local content rules, and together with GIZ<\/strong> they are working on a just transition project to include women and vulnerable communities in the production chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moderator Marina Moscoso<\/strong> thanked the richness of the debate and highlighted that the experiences of S\u00e3o Paulo, Montes Claros, and Porto Velho demonstrate that progress at different scales is possible<\/strong> \u2014 provided there is multi\u2011level coordination<\/strong>, adequate financing, and political will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\u00a0Latam Mobility 2026 Tour<\/strong>\u00a0continues its journey across the region. The next gathering will take place in Medell\u00edn, Colombia<\/a><\/strong>, on June 10\u201311<\/strong>, and later will arrive in Santiago, Chile<\/a><\/strong>, on August 25<\/strong>, bringing together experts and strategic players to further strengthen the sustainable mobility ecosystem in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\nS\u00e3o Paulo: a public policy turning point<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Montes Claros electrifies its fleet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Porto Velho: Amazonian City not Waiting for the Future<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
National industry: Competition, knowledge, and history<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFederal Government: Technical Assistance, Financing, and Clear Goals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Final messages: Cooperation, Scale, and Social Justice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A Year of Consolidation for Mobility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n