SANTIAGO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Another 100 Chinese electric buses will be incorporated into the public transit system on April 1 in Chile's capital, doubling the current fleet, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera announced on Thursday.
The goal for 2022 is that 80 percent of the public transportation buses will be electric, "giving more comfort ... to everyone," Pinera said in a speech.
Among the current 6,600 buses, 5,300 will be replaced by new ones with air conditioners, WiFi and more comfortable seats, he said.
In December 2018, Pinera unveiled the first 100 electric buses for Santiago's transit fleet, which were made by Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD. One week later, Chilean Transport and Telecommunications Minister Gloria Hutt unveiled a second fleet of 100 electric buses made by Chinese manufacturer Yutong joining the fleet.
The Chilean government presented a more modernized public transit system called Metropolitan Mobility Network (RED) to replace the old Transantiago system on March 12.
The RED will cover the city's public transport means from subways to buses, bicycles and suburban trains.
The government plans to install 40 digital stops and rehabilitate another 1,200 bus stops with the same features in different areas of Santiago this year.
In addition, the payment system for Chile's transit system will be modernized, allowing users to pay via cell phone, credit cards or QR codes.
The government has also proposed to use electric buses in public transport in other regions of the country.
