Brazil – Included as part of the Federal Government’s Multi-Year Plan (PPA) in Brasília, Federal District of Brazil, presented to the National Congress at the end of August, is a programme to accelerate bus fleet renewal. Next, the PPA needs to be debated in the National Congress as a Bill (PL 28/2023), with a deadline for approval or otherwise, by December 31, 2023. The Bill, if passed, is expected catalyse faster renewal of Brazil’s national bus fleets with more modern less polluting and less environmentally harmful vehicles. It has a target of some 30% of bus fleets to be renewed with electric buses by 2027!

This is the first time, the Federal Government has committed to providing resources to city municipalities for the purchase of buses for cities, and notably zero emission vehicles, which, has been the sole responsibility of transport operators and / or the municipalities themselves. With fleet renewal very much dependent on the operating companies (whether a contractor or the municipality) makes the replacement of old vehicles difficult.